General Info : Post your noob questions here!

[prafultripathy]

Hi,

I've created this thread to help out people like me who are new/noobs to the world of photography. This would serve to be a platform to throw our questions/queries/doubts on the subject of photography and related stuff.

This can help newbies like me to learn from the more knowledgeable people around! :)

To start with, here's my first question :-

- I've seen shots from dslr's where the subject is in focus and the background is blurred. I guess that's the result of using a prime lens. Now, I want to know how to replicate that effect atleast as much possible using a P&S say using its M mode?

[KrishnenduKes]

Basic Photography Discussions Approved

There are several ways of getting your object in sharp focus and the background in blur. This is not necessarily achieved with a prime lens.

1.Get the aperture of your lens wide open through Aperture Priority mode or Manual Mode.

2.Use a longer focal length. The more you are zoomed and focussed on to your subject, the more everything else in the background (and foreground at times) gets blurred in the process.

3.If you are using a short focal length, get as close to your subject as possible and throw the aperture wide open.

These will help.

If you have further questions... do not hesitate.

[anvancy-(macro analyst)]

the other way to act on blur sharp part is,select what u wanna keep..example ur sister standing near a tree.u want your sister and part of tree sharp but rest blurred.so magic wand or magnetic lasso what u want,mask it,and blur the rest according to ur taste.

this way we can fool our brains.the brain first sees out of focus things and then searches for sharp..so it takes mseconds for our brains to come to know that this is sharp and that is blurred.

all this if u dont have a good glass.:p

anvancy

[shutterbug]

Basic Photography Discussions Approved

There are several ways of getting your object in sharp focus and the background in blur. This is not necessarily achieved with a prime lens.

1.Get the aperture of your lens wide open through Aperture Priority mode or Manual Mode.

2.Use a longer focal length. The more you are zoomed and focussed on to your subject, the more everything else in the background (and foreground at times) gets blurred in the process.

3.If you are using a short focal length, get as close to your subject as possible and throw the aperture wide open.

These will help.

If you have further questions... do not hesitate.
+1 to that.
I am not too good at ps to suggest on that front.

[Xavier]

- I've seen shots from dslr's where the subject is in focus and the background is blurred. I guess that's the result of using a prime lens. Now, I want to know how to replicate that effect atleast as much possible using a P&S say using its M mode?

Ken has already answered it, I'd only like to add that one doesn't necessarily need a prime lens for background blur (bokeh) a good zoom lens can give bokeh which is as good as that from a prime.
The major factors for good bokeh are :
1. Maximum Aperture
2. Focal Length
3. Sensor Size

I guess Ken didn't speak about sensor size, the larger the sensor, the more control over depth of field. Thus P&S find it difficult to get nice blurry backgrounds even at their maximum aperture and longest focal length because of their tiny sensor. This is one of the areas where FF sensors kick some serious 'crop' ass. :D

[KrishnenduKes]

I guess Ken didn't speak about sensor size, the larger the sensor, the more control over depth of field. Thus P&S find it difficult to get nice blurry backgrounds even at their maximum aperture and longest focal length because of their tiny sensor. This is one of the areas where FF sensors kick some serious 'crop' ass. :D

I did not know about this! :) Thanks for the info.

[Xavier]

Hope this helps
Excuse the unattractive foreground/background :P

All shots taken at ISO 200, 50mm.

Av : f/36
SS = 1/20
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p160/xvrdsouza/1f361-20sec.jpg

Av : f/22
SS : 1/50
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p160/xvrdsouza/1f361-20sec.jpg

Av : f/11
SS : 1/250
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p160/xvrdsouza/3f111-250sec.jpg

Av : f/8
SS : 1/500
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p160/xvrdsouza/4f81-500sec.jpg

Av : f/5.6
SS : 1/1000
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p160/xvrdsouza/5f5point61-1000sec.jpg

[Nakul]

Good to have such a thread.
it would really help the newbies lik me.. :)

[Nakul]

Hi,

Found this link and found it pretty good. It explains all the techincal details of SLR camera....

http://www.slrphotographyguide.com/sitemap.shtml

[prafultripathy]

Just yesterday I installed Photoshop, and on starting it up it said my monitor's colour profile is defective or some message like that.

So I googled up what monitor profiles are and it opened up a pandora's box... :(

Can anyone give a simpler yet useful description of how and what are monitor profiles, why are they necessary, how do I calibrate my monitor?

[prafultripathy]

Just yesterday I installed Photoshop, and on starting it up it said my monitor's colour profile is defective or some message like that.

So I googled up what monitor profiles are and it opened up a pandora's box... :(

Can anyone give a simpler yet useful description of how and what are monitor profiles, why are they necessary, how do I calibrate my monitor?
Any inputs guys?

[rio008]

what kind of monitor you are using ??

Any inputs guys?

[prafultripathy]

what kind of monitor you are using ??
Its a 20" Samsung LCD.

[KrishnenduKes]

Its a 20" Samsung LCD.

Try the following in a completely dark room:

1.Go to Control Panel.

2.Open Adobe Gamma.

3.Follow the Step by Step guide there. If you have problems, ask again.

There are competent people here to be able to guide you.

[Nakul]

Hi,

I have always noticed something like an UFO when i take pics of a light source for example say the Moon. This has been there on all the pics i have taken. Can you please tell me how to avoid the same. Attaching a sample of the same.

Thanks :)

http://i637.photobucket.com/albums/uu97/VenomInc2009/New/DSC_0053.jpg

Focal Length: 44.0mm (35mm equivalent: 66mm...
Exposure Time: 0.040 s (1/25)
Aperture: f/5.3
ISO Equiv.: 800
Metering Mode: matrix


http://i637.photobucket.com/albums/uu97/VenomInc2009/New/DSC_0078.jpg

Focal Length: 55.0mm (35mm equivalent: 82mm...
Exposure Time: 0.040 s (1/25)
Aperture: f/5.6
ISO Equiv.: 800
Exposure Bias: 1.00
Whitebalance: Auto
Metering Mode: center weight
Exposure: Manual
Exposure Mode: Auto bracketing

[Xavier]

Hi,

I have always noticed something like an UFO when i take pics of a light source for example say the Moon. This has been there on all the pics i have taken. Can you please tell me how to avoid the same. Attaching a sample of the same.

Thanks :)


Focal Length: 44.0mm (35mm equivalent: 66mm...
Exposure Time: 0.040 s (1/25)
Aperture: f/5.3
ISO Equiv.: 800
Metering Mode: matrix



Focal Length: 55.0mm (35mm equivalent: 82mm...
Exposure Time: 0.040 s (1/25)
Aperture: f/5.6
ISO Equiv.: 800
Exposure Bias: 1.00
Whitebalance: Auto
Metering Mode: center weight
Exposure: Manual
Exposure Mode: Auto bracketing

That's lens flare. You need to use a lens hood to minimise it.

[Nakul]

Hi,

Came across this website which seems to be really helpful. Just wanted to share the same with everyone.

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/


Hope you find it useful. It gives some explanation on the PP as well which i would really interesting

[prafultripathy]

Doubt

Anyone used PS CS4/5 portable? I am unable to open the RAW (.CR2) files in the portable versions of PS. It does not recognize the file format, tried googling for this info but nothing really helped.

Any inputs?

EDIT: I tried converting them to DNG's and still its does not work.

[synn]

Does the portable version come with Adobe Camera Raw? This is needed to open RAW and DNG files.

[powerslave]

Hi,

I have always noticed something like an UFO when i take pics of a light source for example say the Moon. This has been there on all the pics i have taken. Can you please tell me how to avoid the same. Attaching a sample of the same.

Thanks :)

http://i637.photobucket.com/albums/uu97/VenomInc2009/New/DSC_0053.jpg

Focal Length: 44.0mm (35mm equivalent: 66mm...
Exposure Time: 0.040 s (1/25)
Aperture: f/5.3
ISO Equiv.: 800
Metering Mode: matrix


http://i637.photobucket.com/albums/uu97/VenomInc2009/New/DSC_0078.jpg

Focal Length: 55.0mm (35mm equivalent: 82mm...
Exposure Time: 0.040 s (1/25)
Aperture: f/5.6
ISO Equiv.: 800
Exposure Bias: 1.00
Whitebalance: Auto
Metering Mode: center weight
Exposure: Manual
Exposure Mode: Auto bracketing

If you have a filter on your lens, take it off and try again.

[ashishtamhane]

How do you read the settings that are printed on a Lens of the camera and what do they mean?

http://a.img-dpreview.com/news/0809/Leica/Noctilux-M-50mm-f0.95-ASPH_001.jpg

[anvancy-(macro analyst)]

If you have a filter on your lens, take it off and try again.

Ill make an addition to that..filter+some smudge or fingerprint may be??cause as the lens is focusing closer,ie the candle the spot is huge,for the moon its small..

cant get the relation.

Anvancy

[powerslave]

How do you read the settings that are printed on a Lens of the camera?

http://a.img-dpreview.com/news/0809/Leica/Noctilux-M-50mm-f0.95-ASPH_001.jpg

I think most film SLRs and I guess many modern expensive cameras (I'm thinking Leicas etc) have readouts inside the viewfinder that directly read these markings off the lens.

[ashishtamhane]

But what do the numbers mean?

[Cyclops]

But what do the numbers mean?

This lens image that you have posted is of a rare 50mm F/0.95. This is for film SLRs and not Digital. The basic details have been mentioned below, for understanding:

The first ring on the top, near the front element is the aperture ring. Rotate it and aperture setting will go from 0.95 > 1.4 > 2 and so on until 16. The white dot is a marking to show the exact aperture that has been set.

The second is the focussing ring, that focuses the distance between film plane and subject. You can have minimum focussing distance up to infinity. The distance is depicted either in feet or meters.

The third ring inscriptions will read out the distance in feet and meters, depending on the aperture set. For instance, currently the aperture is set at 0.95 (check image) so the focussing distance is at infinity (depicted by the alpha symbol). This means that at the current setting, the image taken will be sharp from foreground to background up to infinity.

[synn]

That's a Leica Noctilux. It works fine on film and digital bodies.

[ashishtamhane]

Thanks for the reply Cyclops. Regarding the image of the lens that I have posted, I simply typed 'Lens' in Google and posted the first image that came with the numbers imprinted on the lens.

I have another query regarding the same subject.

I have a PnS Sony Cybershot DSC W30. There are some numbers written on the front side of the cover which are 2,8 - 5,2/6,3 - 18,9

What do these numbers mean?

[Cyclops]

Thanks for the reply Cyclops. Regarding the image of the lens that I have posted, I simply typed 'Lens' in Google and posted the first image that came with the numbers imprinted on the lens.

I have another query regarding the same subject.

I have a PnS Sony Cybershot DSC W30. There are some numbers written on the front side of the cover which are 2,8 - 5,2/6,3 - 18,9

What do these numbers mean?

The first series i.e. 2,8 - 5,2 means that when your Sony Carl Zeiss lens at complete wide angle (no/nil/zero zoom) then the aperture size is approximately F/2.8. That means the light will be entering more in this position. When you zoom it to its maximum telephoto end (3x zoom ~ not digital zoom) then the aperture size is about F/5.2.

In very basic layman's terms, during low light or night photography, the aperture of F/2.8 is great for producing great pictures.

In DSLR parlance ~ Lenses with F/2.8 or lower is called fast lens due to its light capturing ability and are very costly. Any lens with F-stop above F/2.8 is called slow lenses.

For more information on aperture:

In optics, an aperture is a hole or an opening through which light travels. More specifically, the aperture of an optical system is the opening that determines the cone angle of a bundle of rays that come to a focus in the image plane.

P.S.:- I'm really not sure about the other numbers 6,3 - 18,9. This may be again aperture related (F-stops) but not sure when it will come into play. Maybe, the Auto & Other Modes on the dials make auto-selections depending on the mode and the lens opens and closes the aperture from F/2.8 to F/18.9 in Macro to Landscape modes. Usually in a camera lens, the F stop ranges from say F/0.8 to F/64 for different lenses, different functions, company make etc.

Also, I'm sorry about the earlier Lens image you posted. As SYNN mentioned, it must be suitable for Digital cameras and from Leica. I'm still a learner and know about the ones I've come across, used or accessed.

[Nakul]

If you have a filter on your lens, take it off and try again.

Yes, i did have a UV filter attached to the lens

[amvj]

I have a GP '4 in 1 battery' charger and I have 2 GP 2700mAh batteries.

Now I have bought 2 Sony 3000mAh batteries. The doubt is, its OK to charge all these batteries at the same time in the same charger ?

[ashishtamhane]

The first series i.e. 2,8 - 5,2 means that when your Sony Carl Zeiss lens at complete wide angle (no/nil/zero zoom) then the aperture size is approximately F/2.8. That means the light will be entering more in this position. When you zoom it to its maximum telephoto end (3x zoom ~ not digital zoom) then the aperture size is about F/5.2.


Thanks for the information, it was truly helpful.

[Cyclops]

I have a GP '4 in 1 battery' charger and I have 2 GP 2700mAh batteries.

Now I have bought 2 Sony 3000mAh batteries. The doubt is, its OK to charge all these batteries at the same time in the same charger ?

No, it is better not to charge them together. The Sony will need a bit more longer time to charge as its 3000mAH while the GP are 2700mAH with its specified charger. If both are charged together, then due to prolonged electricity, your GP batteries may lose its memory bank or get damaged by prolonged heat generated by chemicals inside. Most chargers don't have the auto cut-off function after the battery gets charged, hence can be damaged due to long charging durations or heat generated.

It is always advised to keep different co. batteries different while in use or charging and never to mix-match them.

I hope this answers your question. :)

[powerslave]

Yes, i did have a UV filter attached to the lens

So is the problem persistent after removal of the UV filter?

[amvj]

No, it is better not to charge them together. The Sony will need a bit more longer time to charge as its 3000mAH while the GP are 2700mAH with its specified charger. If both are charged together, then due to prolonged electricity, your GP batteries may lose its memory bank or get damaged by prolonged heat generated by chemicals inside. Most chargers don't have the auto cut-off function after the battery gets charged, hence can be damaged due to long charging durations or heat generated.

It is always advised to keep different co. batteries different while in use or charging and never to mix-match them.

I hope this answers your question. :)

Thanks cyclops. That clears my doubt.

[Nakul]

So is the problem persistent after removal of the UV filter?

The problem doesnt happen with all the pics. One of the post i saw on a website says that its because of the reflection coming out from the glass elements of the lens. I used a Nikkor 18-55 for the shot

[ashishtamhane]

What are the advantages and disadvantages of shooting with the lens focus set at the infinity setting and why is it used?

[KrishnenduKes]

What are the advantages and disadvantages of shooting with the lens focus set at the infinity setting and why is it used?

Depends on what you are shooting and how far is your "principal" subject.

[Cyclops]

What are the advantages and disadvantages of shooting with the lens focus set at the infinity setting and why is it used?

If the focus is set for infinity, then that subject at infinity will be sharper compared to the foreground (depending on the aperture size, the foreground can be sharper or be in focus). Now, this is mostly used when shooting landscape, where the need is to have both the foreground & background in complete focus. For this, the focusing method used is Hyperfocal distance.

In layman's terms the benefit for using infinity, I can simply give you a working example. If you are using a DSLR with the 18-55mm lens, zoom to the 55mm point, view your toes from the viewfinder & make them in sharp focus. Then switch the lens to manual focus mode, don't change any lens setting & shoot street action or street life without putting the camera to your eye level. You will get sharp pictures of the street discreetly without having people worked up.

[synn]

If anyone's interested and if I get some free time (:D) i can take a few pics to demonstrate hyperfocal length . I only know how to do this with a lens with a DoF scale, though.

[ashishtamhane]

If anyone's interested and if I get some free time (:D) i can take a few pics to demonstrate hyperfocal length . I only know how to do this with a lens with a DoF scale, though.

Sure!
A demonstration would be perfect for us beginners. It will surely help to clear our doubts and questions.
Thanks for sparing your valuable time for us.

[synn]

Ok,. here goes:

This picture shows the arbitrary lens settings on A Zeiss f1.4 manual lens for the Nikon F Mount:

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd9/first_synn/DSC_9576.jpg


The top ring is for focus, in the middle is the DoF gauge and at the bottom is the Aperture ring. The first thing you gotta do is to set your aperture. You'll mostly be using this technique for landscapes, so let's keep it at f11. Next thing you gotta do is to set the infinity marker on the focus ring to the f11 mark on the DoF gauge (NOT the Aperture ring). This is the correct hyperfocal point for this aperture. To get a rough idea of how wide your DoF is, look at the F11 mark on the other side of the DoF Gauge. It currently is around 4 meter. So your DoF would be 4m to infinity.

Excellent for landscapes!

Now for a sample taken with these exact settings:

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd9/first_synn/DSC_9578.jpg

ISO 200, f11, eyeball metering of around 1/250s shutterspeed.

Notice how everything from the tiles to the apartments in the BG are in focus.

Now there are some caveats to this techniques. Most modern lenses do not have a DoF gauge (Or if they do, it's only for one or 2 f stops only)and this technique is hard to put into practice on those. There's supposed to be a way to do it and if I come across that, I'll post it here.

The second problem is that with manual lenses, you'll get no metering with most low end DSLRs (If you have say, a D300 upwards on the Nikon side, this problem is avoided), so you better have a light meter or be an expert in Zone system or at least, be good enough to eyeball exposure (Don't worry, landscapers have enough time to take a dozen trial and error shots and find optima exposure).

The last issue with using manual lenses is that there won't be any EXIF data. So if you're in the habit of referring to previous settings, do it film-style with a notepad.

That's about it.

[KrishnenduKes]

Ok,. here goes:

This picture shows the arbitrary lens settings on A Zeiss f1.4 manual lens for the Nikon F Mount:

That's about it.

Great post! Hats off! Thanks.

Exactly the way I taught myself more than two decades ago! True, you cant do hyperfocal anymore! It is a pity.

[synn]

Thanks, Ken! :)

[ashishtamhane]

Why is a Grey card (or even the palm) used in photography?
Also what exactly is metering?

[nagoo]

How can i take a time lapse movie with my P&S camera.. i don;t find any setting for it although .. can anyone give me workarounds ;)

[anvancy-(macro analyst)]

How can i take a time lapse movie with my P&S camera.. i don;t find any setting for it although .. can anyone give me workarounds ;)

Which cam do you have??

Anvancy

[nagoo]

Which cam do you have??

Anvancy

i have basic P&S camera .. canon A1100IS

[Cyclops]

Why is a Grey card (or even the palm) used in photography?
Also what exactly is metering?

=> A gray card is a middle gray reference, typically used together with a reflective light meter, as a way to produce consistent image exposure and/or color in film and photography.

A gray card is a flat object of a neutral gray color that derives from a flat reflectance spectrum. A typical example is the Kodak R-27 set, which contains two 8x10" cards and one 4x5" card which have 18% reflectance across the visible spectrum, and a white reverse side which has 90% reflectance.

In addition to providing a means for measuring exposure, a gray card provides a convenient reference for white balance, or color balance, allowing the camera to compensate for the illuminant color in a scene.

Gray cards can be used for in-camera white balance or post-processing white balance. Many digital cameras have a custom white balance feature. A photo of the gray card is taken and used to set white balance for a sequence of photos. For post-processing white balance, a photo of the gray card in the scene is taken, and the image processing software uses the data from the pixels in the gray card area of the photo to set the white balance point for the whole image.

*** Most digital cameras do a reasonable job of controlling color. For the casual user, a gray card is unnecessary. Many serious photographers or hobbyists consider gray cards an essential part of the digital photography process.

NOTE: A gray card is only useful for setting or correcting the balance of neutral colors. Other charts, such as various color charts, provide standard reference patterns with calibrated reflectance spectrum and color coordinates, for use in adjusting color rendering in a larger range of situations.


=> In photography, the metering mode refers to the way in which a camera determines the exposure.

Cameras generally allow the user to select between spot, center-weighted average, or multi-zone metering modes. Various metering modes are provided to allow the user to select the most appropriate one for use in a variety of lighting conditions.

=> In photography, exposure is the total amount of light allowed to fall on the photographic medium (photographic film or image sensor) during the process of taking a photograph. Exposure is measured in lux seconds, and can be computed from exposure value (EV) and scene luminance over a specified area.

NOTE: "Correct" exposure may be defined as an exposure that achieves the effect the photographer intended. The purpose of exposure adjustment (in combination with lighting adjustment) is to control the amount of light from the subject that is allowed to fall on the film, so that it falls into an appropriate region of the film's characteristic curve and yields a "correct" or acceptable exposure.

[anvancy-(macro analyst)]

i have basic P&S camera .. canon A1100IS

I asked since there is a software which can do timelapses.but your camera is not supported in that software.

You will have to do it manually.eg you want to show your timelapse for 1min.and you want your speed to be 30fps.so 30*60=1800 frames.

Suppose your actual event is lasting say around 2hours.so thats 7200 seconds.so 7200(the event time)/1800(the frames) will give you 4secs of interval time.

After this sequence you can join it together in quicktime pro.

Anvancy

[ashishtamhane]

Thanks for the information Cyclops.

I have read from various sites the 'expose to the right' method. I know it is related to the Histogram, but why is it done so?

[powerslave]

Less noise.

Edit: http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/expose-right.shtml

[roschmann27]

How to shoot through glass with flash and not get the reflection of flash on glass?

[KrishnenduKes]

How to shoot through glass with flash and not get the reflection of flash on glass?

Shoot at an angle. Even then you will get some refraction/reflection!

[anvancy-(macro analyst)]

How to shoot through glass with flash and not get the reflection of flash on glass?

Polarizer comes in handy at such situations.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2058/4506707333_849edf89c6_z.jpg

In the above example,I had a polarizer on the cam.The flash is hitting the car,but you dont see it.

Reflection of flash on say mirrors can also work out as fill light.but generally the reflection is not totally avoidable.

Anvancy

[roschmann27]

i asked this because when i went to zoo, the snakes were enclosed in glass chambers and they were made in the model of caves. low light, blurry photos,and when flash was used, the photos had reflection of flash on glass....how to tackle those situations..

[anvancy-(macro analyst)]

i asked this because when i went to zoo, the snakes were enclosed in glass chambers and they were made in the model of caves. low light, blurry photos,and when flash was used, the photos had reflection of flash on glass....how to tackle those situations..

Ill say zoo is a place which falls under the no flash zone.
So no flash means a tripod.But considering the crowd setting up tripod sometimes feels impossible.People just block the view and touch the glass and what not rendering prints on the glass.So tripod or any bar which is near the enclosure on which you can rest your camera can do the job.A simple gorillapod can also do the trick.

Anvancy

[roschmann27]

actually they are not open enclosures...whole of it is either a fence or has bars....and one more thing what is the best way to shoot through grills and not get it on photo?i have managed a few but not all of them

[Cyclops]

i asked this because when i went to zoo, the snakes were enclosed in glass chambers and they were made in the model of caves. low light, blurry photos,and when flash was used, the photos had reflection of flash on glass....how to tackle those situations..

My 2 cents:

Please don't use flash for these photography. Try using a polarizing filter, which is the best to keep away reflections. Using tripods will be problematic in crowded places, but if possible get/borrow a monopod.

[tukuta]

hello guys!!!

i have recently bought a canon 500d with 18-55mm kit lens which is my first dslr, so please tell me what are the acessories that i MUST buy like
1.UV filter (some one told me to always keep it on the lens :confused:)
2.Lens hood
right now i am only able to think about these two, if u have anything else in your mind please add
and which company should i go for?

[anvancy-(macro analyst)]

hello guys!!!

i have recently bought a canon 500d with 18-55mm kit lens which is my first dslr, so please tell me what are the acessories that i MUST buy like
1.UV filter (some one told me to always keep it on the lens :confused:)
2.Lens hood
right now i am only able to think about these two, if u have anything else in your mind please add
and which company should i go for?

Ill advise you to buy the 55-250 also.The smallest and smart tele you MUST have.

UV filters yes..ill suggest go for HOYA or Marumi ones.

It all depends where you want to step into.Flashes,tripods,triggers,what not.

Anvancy

[tukuta]

Ill advise you to buy the 55-250 also.The smallest and smart tele you MUST have.

UV filters yes..ill suggest go for HOYA or Marumi ones.

It all depends where you want to step into.Flashes,tripods,triggers,what not.

Anvancy
thanks for your reply...i will surly buy a UV filter...but how about one from Canon itself? are they not good? and what about hood?

[anvancy-(macro analyst)]

thanks for your reply...i will surly buy a UV filter...but how about one from Canon itself? are they not good? and what about hood?


Your choice.Never used it though.

Hood is also a nice option.

Anvancy

[harshaguduru]

if i use a 5mp setting on my point and shoot for portraits, instead of the 12mp default! will the sensor gather more light hence more clarity(less noise) or will only the part of the sensor work and the there is no change the light caught by the pixels?
i mean to ask will using a 5mp or 7mp give me better noise results on 12mp 1/2.5 sensor? obviously not for landscape shots though. or is that option only save space on the storage card?
thanks in advance
Harsha

[Cyclops]

if i use a 5mp setting on my point and shoot for portraits, instead of the 12mp default....
Harsha

Dear Harsha, it will only help in storing more pictures on the SD/MMC/XD/Sony Pro cards, but won't help in gathering more light and reduce noise. The smaller size of image will give you a perceived feeling that the image is better than 12MP, but its not the truth. The range of colors & details captured with 5MP settings will be much lesser to than of a 12MP capture. As, you will be using JPEG format, every bit of color & other detail is important for post processing as well as cropping.

In another note: I really don't understand why one would pay for a 12MP camera and then only use 5MP??? :o For a simple 4"x5" @ 240-300dpi print you need only 2-4MP.

[harshaguduru]

In another note: I really don't understand why one would pay for a 12MP camera and then only use 5MP??? :o For a simple 4"x5" @ 240-300dpi print you need only 2-4MP.

thank you for the reply, the existence of the option for various resloutions on a P&S when memory is so cheap and plentiful is th reason why i had that doubt..thinking maybe at 5mp twice the number of pixels wll catch the same amount of light compared o 10..because again at 1600iso and 3200iso the pictures are automatically reduced to 3mp in many cameras.. hence the doubt..

[synn]

Even if you use a lower resolution, the photocells on the sensor have the same physical dimensions and wouldn't gather any more light than they do at full-res. At a lower resolution, the camera just discards the info from some of them.

There is only one solution for getting better high ISO performance. Get something with a bigger sensor!

[amvj]

if i use a 5mp setting on my point and shoot for portraits, instead of the 12mp default! will the sensor gather more light hence more clarity(less noise) or will only the part of the sensor work and the there is no change the light caught by the pixels?
i mean to ask will using a 5mp or 7mp give me better noise results on 12mp 1/2.5 sensor? obviously not for landscape shots though. or is that option only save space on the storage card?
thanks in advance
Harsha

Please view this thread.
http://www.thephotographer.in/darkroom/showthread.php?t=614

[harshaguduru]

^^ exactly what i was looking for..thank you..i did not run into this thread when i searched for it!!:eek::eek:

[ashishtamhane]

What is a '100 percent crop' image?

[ashishtamhane]

What is a '100 percent crop' image?

No answers?
:confused:

[Nakul]

No answers?
:confused:

When you open a pictures in any software, it wont be at 100% ie it would be reduced to a size which makes it easier for us to view the whole picture.100% means that your seeing the image 1:1. In an image at 100% crop, you zoom in and then crop the image.

[ashishtamhane]

When you open a pictures in any software, it wont be at 100% ie it would be reduced to a size which makes it easier for us to view the whole picture.100% means that your seeing the image 1:1. In an image at 100% crop, you zoom in and then crop the image.

As simple as that huh?:D


Thanks!

[angelo]

Hi Guys,

I recently got the canon 1000d and i am looking for a budget telephoto lens for it. I had narrowed down my choices to the sigma 70-300 APO DG macro and the canon 55-250 IS. I am more inclined towards the canon because it has IS. Is there any other lens in that budget that i could consider?

Also, i noticed that some websites mention that the 35mm equivalent focal length of the canon 55-250 is actually 88-400 because of the 1.6 corp factor, but there was no such thing mentioned for the sigma. That got me a little confused since I was under the impression that the 55-250 specification was the 35mm equivalent focal length (after taking into consideration the 1.6 corp factor). Can someone please shed some light on that? In-case that is not true, does it also mean that the sigma 70-300 has an effective focal length of 450mm on a DSLR?

[synn]

Any lens mounted on a crop body would show the crop factor. The difference between a lens optimized for a crop body (Such as EF-S lenses for Canon, DX lenses for Nikon) and full frame lenses (EF for Canon, FX for Nikon) is that the former has an image circle only big enough for the crop sensor while the latter has one big enough for crop and full frame sensors.

As for the choice, I say go for the Canon lens. I'm not a fan of third party glass except for Tokina, but there are several here who would wholeheartedly disagree with me. :)

[anvancy-(macro analyst)]

Hi Guys,

I recently got the canon 1000d and i am looking for a budget telephoto lens for it. I had narrowed down my choices to the sigma 70-300 APO DG macro and the canon 55-250 IS. I am more inclined towards the canon because it has IS. Is there any other lens in that budget that i could consider?

Also, i noticed that some websites mention that the 35mm equivalent focal length of the canon 55-250 is actually 88-400 because of the 1.6 corp factor, but there was no such thing mentioned for the sigma. That got me a little confused since I was under the impression that the 55-250 specification was the 35mm equivalent focal length (after taking into consideration the 1.6 corp factor). Can someone please shed some light on that? In-case that is not true, does it also mean that the sigma 70-300 has an effective focal length of 450mm on a DSLR?

55-250.

70-300 after some use becomes either a pen stand or a coffee mug.

Anvancy

[KrishnenduKes]

55-250.

70-300 after some use becomes either a pen stand or a coffee mug.

Anvancy

Nicely put! ROTFL! :D

[angelo]

Any lens mounted on a crop body would show the crop factor. The difference between a lens optimized for a crop body (Such as EF-S lenses for Canon, DX lenses for Nikon) and full frame lenses (EF for Canon, FX for Nikon) is that the former has an image circle only big enough for the crop sensor while the latter has one big enough for crop and full frame sensors.

As for the choice, I say go for the Canon lens. I'm not a fan of third party glass except for Tokina, but there are several here who would wholeheartedly disagree with me. :)

Thanks for the clarification. However, the canon 55-250 is an EF-S lens, but the site (http://www.canon-europe.com/For_Home/Product_Finder/Cameras/EF_Lenses/Image_Stabilization_Lenses/EF-S_55-250mm_f_4-5_6_IS/) says 88-400mm equivalent focal length. I am just curious to know if there is an easy way to identify which lenses are designed for a corp body and which aren't, since the 35mm equivalent focal length is not mentioned for other lenses. Correct me if I'm wrong, but from the looks of it, most manufacturers specify the focal length for a full frame sensor.

[synn]

The equivalent focal length applies only to crop sensors. I understand your confusion, so here's an easy way to look at it, Canon style.

You get an EF-S lens, you'll get equivalent FL on your 1000D, but the lens will be useless if you upgrade to a 5D Mk II some day.

If you get an EF lens like say, 50mm, it will give you equivalent FL on your 1000D (80mm) and if you ever upgrade to a 5D Mk II, you'll be able to use it as a 50mm.

Manufacturers don't usually mention equivalent FL for full frame lenses (EF for Canon) because these lenses aren't usually aimed at crop body customers. No harm in using them, but crop body customers aren't their primary clientele for those lenses.

Of course, just because you get equivalent coverage of a longer lens doesn't mean you'll get the same optical qualities. A 50mm may act as an 80mm on a crop body, but the bokeh would be nowhere as creamy as an 85mm on a full frame body.

[angelo]

The equivalent focal length applies only to crop sensors. I understand your confusion, so here's an easy way to look at it, Canon style.

You get an EF-S lens, you'll get equivalent FL on your 1000D, but the lens will be useless if you upgrade to a 5D Mk II some day.

If you get an EF lens like say, 50mm, it will give you equivalent FL on your 1000D (80mm) and if you ever upgrade to a 5D Mk II, you'll be able to use it as a 50mm.

Manufacturers don't usually mention equivalent FL for full frame lenses (EF for Canon) because these lenses aren't usually aimed at crop body customers. No harm in using them, but crop body customers aren't their primary clientele for those lenses.

Of course, just because you get equivalent coverage of a longer lens doesn't mean you'll get the same optical qualities. A 50mm may act as an 80mm on a crop body, but the bokeh would be nowhere as creamy as an 85mm on a full frame body.

Thanks for explaining it, I finally understood the difference between the EF and EF-S lenses.

[ashishtamhane]

What are Prime Lenses?

[KrishnenduKes]

What are Prime Lenses?

Fixed focal length lenses.

[amvj]

Someone please post tutorials on image stacking, creating panorama [photo merging], creating composite images [http://www.flickr.com/photos/anvancy/5104897040/] or other interesting manipulations.

Please post with detailed step by step tutorials with images. I have checked Anvancy's image stacking tutorial but I feel somewhat tough. I feel dedicated thread on this forum will be helpful than suggesting Google links. Thanks in advance.

[amvj]

Ok Lot of Macro related doubts I have, looking for some seniors to clear the mist.

1. Is there any Nikon's equivalent to the Canon's MP-E 65mm 1-5x Macro Lens ?
http://www.the-digital-picture.com/reviews/canon-mp-e-65mm-1-5x-macro-lens-review.aspx

2. I have checked some dpreview forums, a guy used this Canon lens to his Nikon camera with some modifications. They say, in the olden days Nikon is having some and now they don't have. :confused: I mean Nikon is not having the 5x macro capability lens.

3. The query is, if a Nikon user wants to get a similar [or more] 5X macro capability, only Raynox is the option ? Stock Nikon macro [Micro] lenses don't have such 5x magnification ?

4. What is the difference between 150, 250, MSN 202 and MSN 505 [Correct me if I am wrong]

5. whats is the difference between these Raynox lenses and the famed Canon MP-E 65mm ? Which is better - pros and cons?

6. Why Raynox lenses work better with P&S than with DSLR ?
Today we have DSLRs with Live view.
Less DOF / Slow live view or something like that ?

7. Raynox lens work better with long zoom camera ?

[anvancy-(macro analyst)]

Ok Lot of Macro related doubts I have, looking for some seniors to clear the mist.

1. Is there any Nikon's equivalent to the Canon's MP-E 65mm 1-5x Macro Lens ?
http://www.the-digital-picture.com/reviews/canon-mp-e-65mm-1-5x-macro-lens-review.aspxNo.For a field magnification lens,Nikon is stuck till the 105mm.Canon has the MP E 65mm.

2. I have checked some dpreview forums, a guy used this Canon lens to his Nikon camera with some modifications. They say, in the olden days Nikon is having some and now they don't have. :confused: I mean Nikon is not having the 5x macro capability lens.You get those adapters through which you can use other party lenses.
Professionals use objectives(used for microscopes) of either nikon or carl zeiss or other objective manufacturers.These are used with the help of bellows.Others use reverse lenses.primarily the 50mm.Also the 28,35 are used.

3. The query is, if a Nikon user wants to get a similar [or more] 5X macro capability, only Raynox is the option ? Stock Nikon macro [Micro] lenses don't have such 5x magnification ?Ill say you have some options.Either use the raynox along with your Nikkor 105mm.
Reverse your 50mm or other prime for usage as a macro lens.
Understand that macro lenses (both Canon and Nikon)provide a magnification of 1:1.ie Lifesize.the actual magic starts beyond 1:1.So as asked in the first question,Nikon has no offer compared to the MP E 65.But reverse gives you more magnification.

4. What is the difference between 150, 250, MSN 202 and MSN 505 (Correct me if I am wrong)Its the magnification.
150=1.5x
250=2.5x
150+250=3.75x
150+150=3x
250+250=5x
MSN 202=a rough 8x
MSN 505=beyond 10x.

Out of these,the MSN are the hardest to handle.505 is just hell.for 202 the working distance are in cms.usually 7to 10cms.but again it depends on the subject.That is why I usually do not recommend at first the MSN for a new buyer.I have seen and still see lot of raynox users post average photos and are in a hurry for stacking ie more magnification.I always advise first master your shots by using a single lens.Do not always think that more magnification will give you good shots.Composition plays a heavy role.

Continuing the myth,more magnification=awesome photos,I advise buy the kit.both 150 and 250.150 comes in use of flowers where heavy magnification is not needed.You want to portray a beyond life photo but it should not go too deep.Thats where the 150 helps.

5. whats is the difference between these Raynox lenses and the famed Canon MP-E 65mm ? Which is better - pros and cons?Apples and Oranges.
one is an achromat.The other is a dedicated lens.

Pros of the MP E.
A full blown 1x-5x 2.8 aperture manual lens.
Corner to Corner Sharpness.
Optics superior in front of achromat.

Pros of the Raynox.
Lightweight.
Pocket-Friendly.
That way easy to learn.
It is also an investment.
works with prosumers also.
Its also a lens.(has elements)so optically better than those el cheapo filters.

Pros of say a 50mm
Again Corner to Corner Sharpness.
Lightweight.
Prime factor.
Optics.

The con of a reverse 50 will be no metering.So you have to do the calculations.You get electronic extension tubes which do the metering.But somewhat they are costly.

Ill not say the price of the MP E will be a con.When you look how and whats it made for,the 41k feels total worth.


6. Why Raynox lenses work better with P&S than with DSLR ?
Today we have DSLRs with Live view.Less DOF / Slow live view or something like that ?Its the sensor.P&S have smaller sensors than DSLRs.So you get better magnification due to the small size.The DOF is also small.that's why you can focus better.DSLRs have a bigger sensor so in theory a little less magnification is achieved.But that is overpowered by the sheer image quality you get.

Many forget that you have to learn to use raynox on a DSLR.understand its working distance relationship,functioning,limitations and most of all,your patience.

You will see a lot of pros take the MP E for field use.they dont have the moolah problem.41k to them is possible.41k to a person like me is heaven and hell.


7. Raynox lens work better with long zoom camera ?Yes.it depends on your zoom lens for the magnification.The more the merrier.But the more means also that much difficult.the ideal working range of the raynox is 50-300mm.so at 300mm the raynox 250 is going to provide you a 2.75x magnified image.not a 2.5x.2.5x is achieved in the 200mm range only.

Since raynox depends on your lens,your lens in the first place should be a good one.If you use raynox on a sigma lens,the results will be different than say from a canon tele or a nikon tele.You lens optics are magnified by the usage of raynox.Many to save money use raynox and sigma and then come running saying the photos dont come good.we all have seen the sigma optics of the 70-300.So you get my point.


So summing up altogether,

If a strict budget then raynox.

If you want to seriously go into macro photography either as hobby or otherwise,I will suggest go dedicated and buy the MP E 65mm.Ill not put money on a 100mm if its just giving me a 1:1 mag and sits somewhere near the 65mm price point.

If your attitude is Budget=whats that? one then you can go for a full blown Nikkor objectives,bellows,camera rails and lighting.

Any more doubts?

Anvancy

[synn]

I am no macro expert, but I'd advice against using Canon lenses on Nikon. The other way around works fine, but the Canon system has a shorter flange length which would give you focus issues if you use their lenses on the Nikon system.

[amvj]

^ Thanks Anvancy for your valuable inputs still reading it. :)

[amvj]

Thanks once again, Anvancy. You have spent considerable amount of time for my queries.

One doubt though:-
If Macros depends on the sensor, taking macro with Canon 1D Mark IV / Nikon 3dX like camera will be even more tough, right ?

[KrishnenduKes]

Thread Stuck on the Board

[anvancy-(macro analyst)]

Thanks once again, Anvancy. You have spent considerable amount of time for my queries.

One doubt though:-
If Macros depends on the sensor, taking macro with Canon 1D Mark IV / Nikon 3dX like camera will be even more tough, right ?

Taking macros just like any other field in photography is an art itself.Tough is a word which depends on person to person.For full frame results you can visit lordv's stream on flickr.he clicks thru the 5DMKII which is a FF.and he uses the MP E 65.

These macro lenses and objectives are made keeping FF in mind.So when the lens says 5x you are going to get 5x at FF.so apply a crop factor and you go beyond.Bigger sensor will make the DOF prominent but that also helps a lot since that bokeh and DOF easily makes you check and lock focus properly.Our mind works better in the area of when many things blur and one in focus.(just a statement)

Many dont like to try on DSLRs is because it requires patience.and that patience is with a capital P.But if you make some effort,try first to learn how it functions then you will not have a problem.But for many the reverse happens.They get the macro lens/raynox.Immediately after getting it they try it haphazardly,get poor photos,put blame on patience and let raynox die in the dust.the macro lens doesnt rot since it is then used as a long tele portrait lens.

[amvj]

^Thanks once again for your inputs.

[amvj]

.......
in Photoshop its simple use of brushes to uniformly tone the skin to match my thought of the final photo.Curves were used.

Anvancy

^ From the portrait thread...

How to edit a photo using brush in photoshop ? I have never used brush to edit a picture / photo.
Some one provide me with a pictorial example. Thanks a ton !

[KrishnenduKes]

^ From the portrait thread...

How to edit a photo using brush in photoshop ? I have never used brush to edit a picture / photo.
Some one provide me with a pictorial example. Thanks a ton !

Nor have I. I would like to learn too.

[anvancy-(macro analyst)]

^ From the portrait thread...

How to edit a photo using brush in photoshop ? I have never used brush to edit a picture / photo.
Some one provide me with a pictorial example. Thanks a ton !

It is not only using brush but with a multiple combination of Curves-Levels-Color Balance-Brushes and Stacking of Layers,masking of those layers,taking out what is required,throwing out what not and you get the final thing.

How to use a brush is a subjective question.You can simply search on the net the effects of a brush.

Anvancy

[Shabbar]

@all, i just came across a post on the net where it says a laser light can kill your sensor. i remember when i had newly purchased my DSLR the first thing i had shot with it was a laser show, now how can i find out if it has done any damage to my equipment ?

posting some shots of the laser show

http://www.thephotographer.in/darkroom/attachment.php?attachmentid=2256&stc=1&d=1299305590

[img]

[KrishnenduKes]

@all, i just came across a post on the net where it says a laser light can kill your sensor. i remember when i had newly purchased my DSLR the first thing i had shot with it was a laser show, now how can i find out if it has done any damage to my equipment ?

posting some shots of the laser show


[img]

I guess that a laser shot will damage your sensor only if a direct ray falls on the sensor. I think that your sensor is just fine unless your sensor has been directly been hit by a laser. And that is true for any strong light source like an electric arc light or the sun's rays while falling for a long period on the sensor will evidently fry it!

[ashishtamhane]

While shooting pictures that have both the sky and the ground, how do i ensure that both of them get exposed correctly?

[hitanshu]

some people do GNDs (see abhinav's pics).

but a simple approach in high contrast scenarios is HDR.

[KrishnenduKes]

While shooting pictures that have both the sky and the ground, how do i ensure that both of them get exposed correctly?

You can also use fill-in flash to a certain extent

[amvj]

Anyone is having a plugin resembling woodcut for Photoshop or Lightroom ?

Popular examples are images displayed in the O'Reilly books. Every O'reilly book will have some animals in the front cover irrespective of the content in it.

Examples
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:O%27Reilly_logo.png
http://www.ebooksdownloadfree.com/ups/99/38001.jpg

Simply type "O'Reilly .Net book" in the images.google.com, also "O'Reilly Java book" you can see the images of the book cover.

[sandeep]

DOes anyone know how to set exposure in M mode in Fujifilm s2500HD??
I was trying to set from a week but am not able to do it,
I am able to set in other modes

[ashishtamhane]

How do I get good colour in my photographs?

Some of the websites (Kenrockwell.com) mention that keeping the Saturation setting of the camera to Vivid mode is good, others prefer to edit their photos in an image editing application.

What do you folks suggest?

[Devaiah PA]

How do I get good colour in my photographs?

Some of the websites (Kenrockwell.com) mention that keeping the Saturation setting of the camera to Vivid mode is good, others prefer to edit their photos in an image editing application.

What do you folks suggest?

If you keep your camera settings to vivid, You will get unnatural colors (commonly grey turns into blue).... if shooting in JPEG then you cannot(easily) get back to the original colors...

Shoot in RAW..... Then you can adjust the colors on PC.

BTW what do you mean by 'GOOD colour' ? Natural or Over saturated

[ashishtamhane]

I like my photographs to be vibrant, though not over-saturated. I agree with the fact that if the Vivid mode is turned on in the camera itself, getting back the original colours will be difficult. Generally I increase the colors of the photo a little bit using an image editing application.

[KrishnenduKes]

How do I get good colour in my photographs?

Some of the websites (Kenrockwell.com) mention that keeping the Saturation setting of the camera to Vivid mode is good, others prefer to edit their photos in an image editing application.

What do you folks suggest?

Use the Vibrance slider (option) in your image editing software.

Some cameras do allow good performance with the "Vivid" mode, typical example was my earlier Sony DSC.

If you keep your camera settings to vivid, You will get unnatural colors (commonly grey turns into blue).... if shooting in JPEG then you cannot(easily) get back to the original colors...

Shoot in RAW..... Then you can adjust the colors on PC.


Not all cameras, notably most P&S, are able to shoot RAW. I guess this question is directed to such camera users. And in that case, I think the results can vary quite a bit.

[ashishtamhane]

I have a Nikon d3100 with the 18-55mm kit lens. I was reading the user's manual wherein it was mentioned that a Neutral Color filter should be attached to the lens to protect it from damage. The 18-55mm's thread is 52mm. I checked on Nikon's site and in there the 52mm NC filter retails for about 1000rs.

My question is what is this filter's exact purpose and do you folks recommend it? Will it improve the picture quality of the lens (or even degrade it) in any way?

[KrishnenduKes]

I have a Nikon d3100 with the 18-55mm kit lens. I was reading the user's manual wherein it was mentioned that a Neutral Color filter should be attached to the lens to protect it from damage. The 18-55mm's thread is 52mm. I checked on Nikon's site and in there the 52mm NC filter retails for about 1000rs.

My question is what is this filter's exact purpose and do you folks recommend it? Will it improve the picture quality of the lens (or even degrade it) in any way?

Go through the filters thread. It has been stuck up on the board. It has more information to keep you going for the decision (or indecision thereof) for months!

[anirban]

I'm a complete novice at photography, having started taking interest just a few months back. My mobile camera being the primary one I use to shoot, (I cant borrow my friend's P&S all the time!) I was wondering how I could take good shots with it. I did do a google search, but I also thought it would be better to learn from everyone here.

[ashishtamhane]

I'm a complete novice at photography, having started taking interest just a few months back. My mobile camera being the primary one I use to shoot, (I cant borrow my friend's P&S all the time!) I was wondering how I could take good shots with it. I did do a google search, but I also thought it would be better to learn from everyone here.


Hey Anirban, while I myself am a beginner in photography, here are some steps that I have complied which will help you in your never-ending journey to learn photography!;)

1. While a mobile-camera is good for basic photography, inevitably you will feel restricted. Now-a-days even basic point and shoot cameras are very powerful, have many features and are not even too expensive. So get a decent camera as soon as possible.

2. Always keep reading good books and websites on photography. They will help you to increase your theory and will have some great photos which will inspire you.

3. Shoot photos, shoot some more photos, and shoot even some more photos! The more photos you will shoot, the more will you learn.

I hope this helps you.

Cheers!

[anirban]

Thank you! I do keep reading up as much as I can, so that I have the theory part covered, and of course TPIN has plenty to keep surfing through all day!

I liked the last point when you said to shoot more and more pictures. Till I'm able to afford a camera of my own, I'll keep shooting as much as I can with my mobile camera.

[Devaiah PA]

Thank you! I do keep reading up as much as I can, so that I have the theory part covered, and of course TPIN has plenty to keep surfing through all day!

I liked the last point when you said to shoot more and more pictures. Till I'm able to afford a camera of my own, I'll keep shooting as much as I can with my mobile camera.

Best you can do with mobile phone is to work on framing. To start with just follow rule of thirds where ever possible.

In Bangalore there are plenty of used DSLR sold online.
A 2 generation old camera is available for 10-15K, some of them are like brand new (<10K shutter counts). which is better than any new P&S.

[KrishnenduKes]

Best you can do with mobile phone is to work on framing. To start with just follow rule of thirds where ever possible.

In Bangalore there are plenty of used DSLR sold online.
A 2 generation old camera is available for 10-15K, some of them are like brand new (<10K shutter counts). which is better than any new P&S.

Thanks for those inputs guys. :)

15K for a DSLR. Amazing!

[anirban]

Though I would like to get a DSLR (used or new) as early as possible, I cannot. I've still got a little over a year to go before I finish my engineering and (hopefully) get a job. Till then, I think it will be really inconsiderate on my part to ask my Dad for money to buy a DSLR.

I have managed to save up enough for a simple P&S camera, but I don't want to spend the amount on something that I will want to upgrade from, pretty soon.

What does everyone here suggest? That I wait a bit longer, in the meantime learning as much as I possibly can with a mobile camera, so that by the time I get my own DSLR, I'm ready to use it well?
Or go for a simple P&S now and then upgrade to a DSLR in about a year?

[ashishtamhane]

What does everyone here suggest? That I wait a bit longer, in the meantime learning as much as I possibly can with a mobile camera, so that by the time I get my own DSLR, I'm ready to use it well?
Or go for a simple P&S now and then upgrade to a DSLR in about a year?

This is a tough question!

If you think that only a DSLR will satisfy you, then wait for some time, otherwise get that P&S.

My personal opinion: Get that P&S now and start shooting. P&S cameras today have got some excellent features and are simple to operate. If somehow you get a second hand DSLR that is within your budget, then well and good. But I really think you should steer clear of second hand buys simply because they may cause you trouble.

[KrishnenduKes]

Though I would like to get a DSLR (used or new) as early as possible, I cannot.

Just a DSLR would not do. You would also need/want at least two lenses with it. That means a clear 50k minimum if you are buying off the shelf... half that price if you are buying used.

These are things that you need to think about.

[anirban]

I have a budget of Rs. 5000, so I won't be able to get a powerful P&S at that price, just a simple one with not much adjustable settings.
I thought I'd wait a year, instead of going for a P&S now, but 50k is quite a whopping amount!!

Suppose, next year I go for the EOS 1000D with the EFS 18-55mm kit lens, if it is still available then. Price: Rs. 25,295.00.

OR

I go for the EOS 1100D with the EF S18-55mm IS II kit lens. Price: Rs. 32590.00
I shoot with the kit lens as much as I can. Then, when I feel the need for it, I'll buy another lens (maybe the EF S55-250mm IS at Rs. 12,275.00)

OR

I wait, bide my time, buy a used DSLR body only (hopefully in good condition) and then buy the EF-S18-55mm IS (Rs. 11,695) and EF-S55-250mm IS (Rs. 12,275) lenses with it?

I'm not very keen on buying a used camera; generally if something good goes much cheaper at a resale, then most likely it has its share of problems!

Now I'm REALLY CONFUSED!

[Devaiah PA]

I have a budget of Rs. 5000, so I won't be able to get a powerful P&S at that price, just a simple one with not much adjustable settings.
I thought I'd wait a year, instead of going for a P&S now, but 50k is quite a whopping amount!!


When I was in your position a few years back... I got a Fuji 5700 and some good books on photography. The later was worth the money :)

[anirban]

Now that makes things a bit clearer!

Lets see what Krishnendu Sir and the others suggest!

[ashishtamhane]

I have a budget of Rs. 5000

I am afraid that at this budget you will not get a camera with too many manual settings. It would be better to wait for some time and increase your knowledge till then by reading books and websites and then get a good camera.

Till then, use your mobile camera to its limits!

Cheers!

[Shabbar]

Friends, i was on a lookout for a macro lens for quite some time now i am getting one used canon 60mm 2.8 1:1 macro lens for 18k and on the other hand i have the option to go for a brand new tamron 90mm 2.8 1:1 lens for 21k . Can any one suggest which lens i should go for considering i am not going to upgrade to full frame Dslr in the near future.

I am little confused about third party lens so please help me guys.

[KrishnenduKes]

Friends, i was on a lookout for a macro lens for quite some time now i am getting one used canon 60mm 2.8 1:1 macro lens for 18k and on the other hand i have the option to go for a brand new tamron 90mm 2.8 1:1 lens for 21k . Can any one suggest which lens i should go for considering i am not going to upgrade to full frame Dslr in the near future.

I am little confused about third party lens so please help me guys.

Bargain the Canon down!

[Devaiah PA]

Friends, i was on a lookout for a macro lens for quite some time now i am getting one used canon 60mm 2.8 1:1 macro lens for 18k and on the other hand i have the option to go for a brand new tamron 90mm 2.8 1:1 lens for 21k . Can any one suggest which lens i should go for considering i am not going to upgrade to full frame Dslr in the near future.
I am little confused about third party lens so please help me guys.

Forget the tamron, after buying you will imediately try to sell it like all others do.

I do not know how effective a 60mm macro would be in the field.
Also check out for the Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro (non L series).
I think it sells around 25K+.

[KrishnenduKes]

Forget the tamron, after buying you will imediately try to sell it like all others do.

I do not know how effective a 60mm macro would be in the field.
Also check out for the Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro (non L series).
I think it sells around 25K+.

The 60mm Macro does not look too bad.

Here (http://www.the-digital-picture.com/reviews/Canon-EF-S-60mm-f-2.8-Macro-USM-Lens-Review.aspx) and here (http://www.photodo.com/topic_52.html) are two reviews of the same lens.

[anirban]

I am afraid that at this budget you will not get a camera with too many manual settings. It would be better to wait for some time and increase your knowledge till then by reading books and websites and then get a good camera.

Till then, use your mobile camera to its limits!

Cheers!

Okay then, thats what I'll do. Thought it over almost the whole of last night, and then decided to wait till I can afford a DSLR. Till then, I'll keep learning!

P.S Thank you very much everyone! I'm really indebted to you all for your advice. :)

[Devaiah PA]

The 60mm Macro does not look too bad.

Here (http://www.the-digital-picture.com/reviews/Canon-EF-S-60mm-f-2.8-Macro-USM-Lens-Review.aspx) and here (http://www.photodo.com/topic_52.html) are two reviews of the same lens.

Both the lens are good.
For around 5k more 100mm will give a very good DOF, Bokeh and narrow field of view (important for macro - you can keep distance from live subjects without disturbing them). I feel these factors will add great value to macro shots.

[Shabbar]

Bargain the Canon down!

Thanx Kenda finally bargained for it and got it down to 16K. and bought it

Forget the tamron, after buying you will imediately try to sell it like all others do.

I do not know how effective a 60mm macro would be in the field.
Also check out for the Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro (non L series).
I think it sells around 25K+.

Feels nice i didnt go for the Tamron, this lens is an effective 96mm on my crop body 550D, which is a comfortable distance for macro . i wanted the 100mm but i got a quote of 28+++ for a new one so this nearlly cost me the half.

Thanx for your suggestions.

a sample shot with my new lens

http://www.thephotographer.in/darkroom/attachment.php?attachmentid=2339&stc=1&d=1303819040

[surya@64]

Thanx Kenda finally bargained for it and got it down to 16K. and bought it



Feels nice i didnt go for the Tamron, this lens is an effective 96mm on my crop body 550D, which is a comfortable distance for macro . i wanted the 100mm but i got a quote of 28+++ for a new one so this nearlly cost me the half.

Thanx for your suggestions.

Now its time to show us some stunning macros...Congrats on the new purchase. I am sure you have learnt the trick & trade of Macros...it a whole new ball game....!! good luck.

[Shabbar]

Now its time to show us some stunning macros...Congrats on the new purchase. I am sure you have learnt the trick & trade of Macros...it a whole new ball game....!! good luck.

Thank you sir, thats what i have been doing for the past one week going through all the articles on the net regarding macro photography . there is some very good info on our PIN itself by Aryanda, Anvancy and Vicky sir to mention a few

[KrishnenduKes]

Thanx Kenda finally bargained for it and got it down to 16K. and bought it





Great! Now go ahead and make full use of the Macro Duel thread! :)

[anirban]

Some of the best photographers in the world shoot for National Geographic. May I post links to the official websites for their photography on the "Professional Photographers and their works" thread? So that everyone can view their amazing work?

[KrishnenduKes]

Some of the best photographers in the world shoot for National Geographic. May I post links to the official websites for their photography on the "Professional Photographers and their works" thread? So that everyone can view their amazing work?

Absolutely. No problems!

[anirban]

I have a few questions regarding lenses:

1. The lens is described as EF-S10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 (Canon) for example. What do these numbers mean?

2. By looking at these numbers, how can we tell what type of photography a lens is suited for, like telephoto, macro, wide angle etc.?

3. What is a 'prime' lens?

[ashishtamhane]

I have a few questions regarding lenses:

1. The lens is described as EF-S10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 (Canon) for example. What do these numbers mean?

2. By looking at these numbers, how can we tell what type of photography a lens is suited for, like telephoto, macro, wide angle etc.?

3. What is a 'prime' lens?

Answers:

1. Lets take it part by part. Companies use various abbreviations to help read there lenses. Here in 'EF-S', the EF is the lens mounting system of Canon. The "S" in EF-S stands for "short back focus", which means that the rear element of the lens is closer to the image sensor than on regular 35mm SLR cameras.

Moving on, 10-22mm is the Focal length of the lens. It determines how your images will be formed on the camera.

More the focal length, higher the zooming power. Think Wildlife photography, those big lenses have higher focal lengths, often 400mm or even higher.

Conversely low focal lengths means the lens is a wide-angle.

Further, f/3.5-4.5 is the maximum aperture of the lens. Aperture is the size of the opening inside the lens. It is measured in F stops. This is tricky to understand. Low aperture values such as f/1.8 means that the opening inside the lens is high and high aperture values such f/8 means that the opening is lower.

Think of the aperture as any regular hole. If you open the hole more enough (f/1.8) you will let in more light, and if you close it down (f/8) the light that comes in decreases.

2. Telephoto lenses have higher focal lengths, often they start at 200mm and end at 400mm. Wide angle lenses are about 5mm to about 30mm.

3. Prime lenses. Prime lenses have a fixed focal length, ie, they do not have any zoom capability whatsoever. Prime are said to have better optics then variable focal length lenses. A good example is the 50mm f/1.8 lens. This Prime lens is probably the cheapest lens in the world and it has one of the best optics ever at the price point.

Hope this solves your queries.

Keep up the research!:)

[KrishnenduKes]

I have a few questions regarding lenses:

1. The lens is described as EF-S10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 (Canon) for example. What do these numbers mean?

2. By looking at these numbers, how can we tell what type of photography a lens is suited for, like telephoto, macro, wide angle etc.?

3. What is a 'prime' lens?

You need to read up a bit.

Get yourself a John Hedgecoe and he will build a lot of fundamentals.

Answers:



Nice replies Ashish.

Also required to remember is this...

F-stop is the focal length of a lens divided by the diametre of the glass. This is the very basic fundamental idea of the f-stop.

Which is why a smaller f number lens (say a f1.8 or a f1.4 ) uses far more optical material than a larger f number like a f5.6 thus making the f1.8 more expensive (and evidently faster since you are letting in more light and you can use a faster shutter speed!)

[hensil]

I have a few questions regarding lenses:

1. The lens is described as EF-S10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 (Canon) for example. What do these numbers mean?

2. By looking at these numbers, how can we tell what type of photography a lens is suited for, like telephoto, macro, wide angle etc.?

3. What is a 'prime' lens?

Hi anirban,
You got some good tips already. But looking at your questions suggest you need a proper training/understanding about basics in photography. Photography is a vast filed but you can start by joining some workshops or local photography group. Once you get the basics then you'll get hooked to it.:)
Henry
PS: You have some good links on this forum to learn online free and then we are here also to help you.

[ashishtamhane]

Nice replies Ashish.


Thank you. I think I had also asked the same question which Anirban has asked in this same thread some years back!

Time really flies!
:)

[anirban]

Thanks a lot Ashish! You've explained everything so perfectly!
Also, many thanks to Krishnendu Sir and Henry sir. Yes, I'm a complete newbie so I spend a lot of time reading up online. I'll definitely look up John Hedgecoe as soon as I can!

[KrishnenduKes]

Thanks for the reply Cyclops. Regarding the image of the lens that I have posted, I simply typed 'Lens' in Google and posted the first image that came with the numbers imprinted on the lens.

I have another query regarding the same subject.

I have a PnS Sony Cybershot DSC W30. There are some numbers written on the front side of the cover which are 2,8 - 5,2/6,3 - 18,9

What do these numbers mean?


Thank you. I think I had also asked the same question which Anirban has asked in this same thread some years back!

Time really flies!
:)

You indeed asked a similar question almost exactly 11 Months ago! :)

[anirban]

What brand of rechargeable NiMH AA batteries are best for use with P&S cameras? There are plenty of fakes out there and they hardly give sufficient charge. Even the chargers develop faults pretty soon.

I've heard that Eveready batteries are reliable. Has anyone here used them?

[anvancy-(macro analyst)]

What brand of rechargeable NiMH AA batteries are best for use with P&S cameras? There are plenty of fakes out there and they hardly give sufficient charge. Even the chargers develop faults pretty soon.

I've heard that Eveready batteries are reliable. Has anyone here used them?

Eneloops, Uniross Dynamic Hybrio and may be GP ones are the batteries you can check out.

Everready and other do not run as claimed.

Anvancy

[ashishtamhane]

The Nikon India's website lists the price of the Nikon D3100 kit for 32950/- INR while Fotocenter's website lists it at 26000/- INR:eek:

Whats the catch here? Are their products really that cheap or is there anything else like taxes to be added to the products?

[KrishnenduKes]

Eneloops, Uniross Dynamic Hybrio and may be GP ones are the batteries you can check out.

Everready and other do not run as claimed.

Anvancy

Yes. Try Eneloop. They are pretty decent.

The Nikon India's website lists the price of the Nikon D3100 kit for 32950/- INR while Fotocenter's website lists it at 26000/- INR:eek:

Whats the catch here? Are their products really that cheap or is there anything else like taxes to be added to the products?

Selling products at 20% less than the MRP is not a big deal. It is a regular practice.

[ashishtamhane]

Selling products at 20% less than the MRP is not a big deal. It is a regular practice.

That is some GREAT news for me!:)

[anirban]

Eneloops, Uniross Dynamic Hybrio and may be GP ones are the batteries you can check out.

Everready and other do not run as claimed.

Anvancy

What about Duracell? I checked on their site, they do have rechargeable AA NiMH batteries. Ignoring the cost for now, how is their performance?

[anvancy-(macro analyst)]

What about Duracell? I checked on their site, they do have rechargeable AA NiMH batteries. Ignoring the cost for now, how is their performance?

Never used them.so cant say anything.

I am using both Eneloops and Uniross.

Anvancy

[hensil]

For rechargeable batteries, Eneloops (Sanyo company) are the best because they retain their charge even for 6 months or more. Other rechargeable batteries will lose more than 50% of charge in a weeks time. Get the one with more mAmp to last for long. Also get a good trickle charger. A cheap charger will destroy the batteries.
Henry

[anirban]

Thank you Henry sir! I asked at an electronics megastore about Eneloops, the salesmen said they hadn't even heard of that brand!
Are Eneloops expensive?

[Xavier]

Eneloop batteries are available for around Rs. 370 for a pack of two rechargeable batteries. You should find them at a large electronics store like Croma or get them off ebay.

[KrishnenduKes]

That is some GREAT news for me!:)

But at times one has to bargain to get that deal. (With papers and warranty of course)

Thank you Henry sir! I asked at an electronics megastore about Eneloops, the salesmen said they hadn't even heard of that brand!
Are Eneloops expensive?

Eneloop batteries are available for around Rs. 370 for a pack of two rechargeable batteries. You should find them at a large electronics store like Croma or get them off ebay.

Yes. Croma stocks them regularly. And for a pack of 4 Eneloops and charger, they cost around INR1200 at Croma if my memory serves me right.

[anirban]

Yes. Croma stocks them regularly. And for a pack of 4 Eneloops and charger, they cost around INR1200 at Croma if my memory serves me right.

Thank you sir! That is really helpful!

[amvj]

Few days back I went to print some photos. The photos which I printed was from my 8MP camera. At the printing lab, I was baffled by the replies from the attendants. I want to get some bigger prints (not remember the size) but they said the "DPi" is small for the photo despite the resolution hence it is not possible to print big hence I have to stick something smaller. I actually printed slightly bigger than the post card size.

So what is the difference between Dpi and camera resolution ?

Dpi can be set using photoshop like this or anything else ?
http://i53.tinypic.com/iy0rqf.png
Photoshop -> new -> set resolution -> copy photo.

Before the photo printing, I thought the print size entirely depends on Mega pixels of the camera. What are the things we need to note before printing a photo ?

What is the maximum size I can print from 8MP ? Is there is any MP - print size chart available ? FYI, I have used sRGB.

[anirban]

What is the maximum size I can print from 8MP ? Is there is any MP - print size chart available ?

At 8MP the common print size is 30x40cm or 10x14" at roughly 300dpi. For the complete chart, you can take a look at this link:
http://www.photozone.de/megapixels-vs-print-size

As for the other questions, I'm not so sure of the answers, but everyone else on the forum will clear all your doubts! :)

[hensil]

Few days back I went to print some photos. The photos which I printed was from my 8MP camera. At the printing lab, I was baffled by the replies from the attendants. I want to get some bigger prints (not remember the size) but they said the "DPi" is small for the photo despite the resolution hence it is not possible to print big hence I have to stick something smaller. I actually printed slightly bigger than the post card size.

So what is the difference between Dpi and camera resolution ?

Dpi can be set using photoshop like this or anything else ?
http://i53.tinypic.com/iy0rqf.png
Photoshop -> new -> set resolution -> copy photo.

Before the photo printing, I thought the print size entirely depends on Mega pixels of the camera. What are the things we need to note before printing a photo ?

What is the maximum size I can print from 8MP ? Is there is any MP - print size chart available ? FYI, I have used sRGB.

Hi amvj,
If you open your picture in PS and go to Image>Image Size, you'll get a box that will show the Pixel Dimensions and Document Size.
Pixel Dimensions is the actual size of your picture and Document Size is just a reference of what your picture will be while printing. The Resolution in pixel/inch will tell you how big you can print your picture at that particular resolution. Reducing the resolution will give larger print but at lower quality. The ideal resolution for 8x12 inch print is 240. For a larger print lower resolution is fine because you will see the print from further distance. Remember, Document Size is only for reference and does not affect your original file. Only if you increase/reduce the Pixel Dimensions your original file will get bigger or smaller. This added pixel is generated by the software and not from your camera.
I hope you understood.
Henry

[hensil]

DPI-dots per inch, is a printer feature. More dpi better the picture quality. It's got nothing to do with your digital file.
Henry

[amvj]

^thanks anirban and hensil.

@Hensil: I have checked Image -> Image size and I can change the Resolution. Changing it increases the file size. If DPI is printer related thingy then what is the use of this ? thanks once again.

[hensil]

^thanks anirban and hensil.

@Hensil: I have checked Image -> Image size and I can change the Resolution.
Changing it increases the file size. If DPI is printer related thingy then what is the use of this ? thanks once again.


This increase in file size is done by software by adding pixels. This pixels are generated by the software by interpolating the existing pixels. These are not true image pixels but computer generated. Hence the quality of picture will suffer. The printer can also do the same job of increasing the pixels and does it better.
DPI is just like the number of nozzles in a shower. More number of nozzles will give denser shower. More Dots Per Inch will give better color/print.
Henry

[amvj]

^ Thanks for the information.

[ashishtamhane]

What is a High Key photograph and how do I go about clicking one with the least post-processing?

[Cyclops]

High key is a lighting technique which produces images that are bright and not too contrasty. High key photos are characterized by the dominance bright tones and the lack, if not absence, of shadows. The histogram of a high key picture will be condensed on the right side (bright tones) but without loosing too many details of highlights.

High key is best achieved in a studio environment with different flash units. However, you can achieve this effect with whatever you got if you keep in mind a few points. I succeeded in achieving a pleasant high key effect, using only my compact camera and the available light.

So when shooting high key images you will need:

- A camera that allows you to overexpose your shot, or a camera that can be set on manual mode. Basically, any camera allows for exposure compensation and overexposing the photo won’t be a problem.

- Available light that is strong enough for you take overexposed images at reasonable shutter speeds.

- A bright neutral background. A white wall which reflects the available light will be ideal.

- Post-processing software, such as Photoshop or Gimp to be used especially for shots taken in available light with compact cameras. A little bit of editing will make the high key effect more eye-catching.

[anirban]

Is it possible to have a one-stop thread for Photoshop and other PP techniques? Starting with the basics, and then moving on to more sophisticated portions, with complete workflow? There is, frankly so much of it out there, and bringing it under one common section would make it easier I think. Especially for someone like me who still can't figure it out despite reading up so many links online!

[anvancy-(macro analyst)]

Is it possible to have a one-stop thread for Photoshop and other PP techniques? Starting with the basics, and then moving on to more sophisticated portions, with complete workflow? There is, frankly so much of it out there, and bringing it under one common section would make it easier I think. Especially for someone like me who still can't figure it out despite reading up so many links online!

So you mean to say 3 threads pertaining to:

Basic
Intermediate
Advanced

Will do.

Anvancy

[anirban]

So you mean to say 3 threads pertaining to:

Basic
Intermediate
Advanced

Will do.

Anvancy

Firstly, a very big THANK YOU Anvancy Sir! Straight from my heart!

I didn't think 3 threads, but I guess that would be much easier to understand than one :)

[anirban]

How do we find the crop factor for a P&S camera? Do we take the area, i.e. multiply the length and breadth of the CCD sensor (as seen in the EXIF data), and take the ratio to (35mm x 35mm)?

[hensil]

I guess you are asking the crop factor ratio of your camera in relation with the full frame 35mm?
A simple way is to first find out the focal length equivalent to 35mm. All the manufacturer will scream about this. Then see the actual focal length on the camera lens. Then just divide the 35mm equivalent focal length with the actual focal length. You get the ratio.
Eg. The manufacturer says the 35mm equivalent wide is 24mm and on your lens it says the widest is 4mm. Then 24/4=6 times the crop factor.
Henry

[KrishnenduKes]

Spot on Henry as usual!