Digital SLR Camera DSLR Blog

Aperture Wha?

“I see a light… Am I dead?”

Don’t count on it.

Today, we’ll bring out a definition that I have been longing to post about, namely: Aperture.

Dictionary.com says:

ap⋅er⋅ture
/ˈæpərtʃər/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [ap-er-cher] Show IPA
–noun
1. an opening, as a hole, slit, crack, gap, etc.
2. Also called aperture stop. Optics. an opening, usually circular, that limits the quantity of light that can enter an optical instrument.

In reality, aperture is more like your eye, where the pupil dilates according to how much light you “see”. However, in a camera, it isn’t an involuntary function (Unless you’re on auto), this means, you can control how much light comes and goes. How? Through your lenses.

Now, let’s take a look at our lenses first. Each lens has a different aperture (Usually the set lens aperture kind of sucks…) Which makes each and every lens special! Now, if we take a look at the lens, let’s adjust the aperture wheel.

Did you see that? The small “Pupil” adjusted, right? That is the small thing that controls the aperture.

So, now that you know, I’ll just go and find out how exactly to change the aperture on my camera… I’m a bit clueless right now.

Hardy har har.

Weather And Photography - What You Should Know

Oh man, I’m so excited! I’m gonna take a picture of the sun!

Well, that’s what happens when you get overexposed pictures. (This is a worst case scenario, so don’t expect to get a full white screen…and never expect to get…The Beatles… in it as well)

In reality, exposure is what you need to worry about in pictures. most pictures undergo special treatment to avoid overexposure, but some just seem to love exposure as it compliments everything. (And in reality, overexposed pictures are more… bumpy than that white screen.)

So, in this post, we will talk about weather, and your camera.

WEATHER AND YOUR CAMERA

From skylightweb.com:

These familiar occurrences of nature, such as; rain fog, wind and sunshine, always add a special touch to any scene. And make no mistake; the non-photographer will always welcome such low-budget special effects.

So, here’s a detailed list shortened:

Rain-Mysterious/Romantic/Unique
Sunny-Cheery
Low light-Dreary/scary
Fog-Mysterious with a dash of sadness
Night-Tense/scary/beauty
Snow-Fun
Winds-Jolty
Underwater-Cool (Yes)

So, that’s my very own detailed list on what weather (In photos) makes me feel.

So, if you’re looking to add emotion to your photography, weather is a think to keep your eyes out for.

Here’s one example. Just copy and paste the other links.. for some reason, they aren’t working..

Rain-

Sun-

Low light-

I miss home :(

Fog-

From a P&S (Mine)

Night-

Snow-

Windy-

Underwater-
<img src=”http://farm1.static.flickr.com/199/524677648_8632ce9f8d_m.jpg” alt=”" />

**Note:Only the fog picture is mine

My Daily Adventures: Photography Failures

I know you’ve been there: the perfect shot just slips away as you grab your camera, and what do you get instead? Some old guy eating ice cream. Great.

Seriously though, even after all these years, photography isn’t perfect. For example:

• Weather affects battery life. We should never forget this fact.
• Lighting affects automatic shutter speed.
• Direct flash can cause color loss. It’s best to bounce the flash, but I’ll get into that later.
• You (your hands) can affect the stillness of a picture. I mean, you don’t want your hands shaking all the time. This is the number 1 cause of blurry pictures.
• Your camera cannot control what it sees (That’d be really great though)

So yeah, we got that covered, some basics on why photography isn’t perfect. So, here are some tips that would help you in the long run:

• When it’s cold, bring extra batteries. Cold temperature robs batteries of their battery life. That is another reason why my NDS dies quickly when I go to the snow.
• Make sure you’re on manual in low light. Usually, this presents the best quality, unlike automatic, which is most likely give you a really weird exposure… Sometimes it’s good, sometimes it isn’t. Go ahead and try your luck. Just make sure to bring along a tripod.
• Direct flash. It sucks. Buy an external flash bulb, and let the light bounce off an object onto your focus. We need indirect light here, because you’ll be losing precious color without it.
• Your hands… Only on shutter speeds above 25. If it’s any lower, use breathing techniques, or use your tripod.
• Your camera can’t control what it sees. You can’t rob a bank with it, so quit trying.

So, those are a few basic tips on your camera.

Oh and do me a favor, If you’re gonna try to rob a bank, don’t call me.

Why Buy A DSLR?

Undoubtedly one of the season’s hottest accessories (I’m just pointing it out. I sure as heck don’t want to join the bandwagon, thank you very much.), I have been approached with numerous inquiries about the DSLR. What is it? What makes it different? What makes it so darned special?

DSLR stands for Digital-Single Lens Reflex. Due to a special mechanical mirror and (usually) a pentaprism system, a DSLR allows you to view a picture from the camera as your eye would perceive it. Yes, it’s as accurate as you can get in terms of getting what you see. [I would explain how to mechanical mirror and pentaprism system works, but it’s highly confusing, so I suggest you read up on it on other websites. If you need any help, though, just ask me.] All of this would mean that the camera can capture the perfect blend of purple, orange and pink of the sky during the sunset, or the yellow of the rearing head of your friend’s zit. If you’re observant enough, you’d notice that this is not always the case with regular compact digital cameras. There’s always something that’s not accurate in the picture. DSLRs capture real life, mood and emotion unlike any other.

Another thing that makes the DSLR so special is its inherent ability to use interchangeable lenses. You have a smorgasbord of lenses to choose from, like macro lenses, telephoto lenses, wide-angle lenses and prime lenses, which offer no special function therefore making them standard (an example of these are the set lenses which are included in a standard DSLR package), but giving slightly better quality of photos. There are many other special effects lenses available, but I won’t dwell on that for now.

credits:  (counter-clockwise, from top left.) Fly on Daisy by Duncan, Concert Photography by Todd Owyoung, Red Bridge by El Fotopakismo and Catch Me If You Can by Lekke

It’s pretty hard to explain how different everything is, especially if you haven’t seen a lot of pictures taken by DSLRs. But typically, these pictures summarize everything about the four lens groups that I’ve mentioned.

The macro lens are for extreme close-ups. If you click the picture and see its blown-up version, you can see everything, down to the very last detail, which is the pollen on the bee’s body. Pretty cool, huh?

The telephoto lens, on the other hand, are for magnification of distant objects. Perfect use for concerts, as demonstrated in the picture. That picture was taken from the pit, and if you’ve been to any concert, getting a decent picture of the drummer will be no easy feat–and a good one at that. :)

The wide-angle lens has shorter than average focal lenses which therefore allow you to fit in more of a particular scene than regular lens. Because of this, wide-angle lens are usually perfect for landscapes.

The prime lens are the standard lenses (an example of this are the set lenses included per DSLR package) and they are fixed-focal length lenses (as opposed to being zoom lenses). Their simple design allows them superior optical quality in relation to the other lenses.

DSLR resolutions range from 6 MP up to more or less 20 MP.

They have a tough build, making them fit for harsh conditions and poor weather. Most DSLRs have their buttons sealed against small particles.

DSLRs are generally classified as entry-level, midrange and high-end levels. However, some companies may manufacture other cameras in different levels (such as enthusiast or prosumer levels).

Popular examples of DSLRs are: Canon’s EOS series, Sony’s α (alpha) series, Nikon’s DX series, Olympus’ E series and Pentax’s *ist series. Their price ranges from expensive to very, very expensive. Besides the camera body, you also have to take care of it (maintenance), buy memory cards, flash accessories, lenses and filters etc. which terminally means that a DSLR is an investment, a huge investment, which is why it is highly advisable to consider everything before buying a DSLR. Follow Karl’s NCGVF tips. :)

High-End/Advanced Digital Cameras

It’s pretty awesome that my co-contributor Karl wrote his own version of a buyer’s guide, as I believe that it would go hand-in-hand with my own sort of buyer’s guide. Although his is a bit more targeted for people who consider buying DSLRs… you can always take it out of its original context and apply it to the three general types of digital cameras.

Speaking of, I’m back with the high-end / advanced digital cameras. I think that some people have to know that this type of camera exists, because others shoot directly to DSLRs without consideration of what they want, or more importantly, what they need — and in the long run, can they really afford it? (I don’t have anything against shooting to DSLRs though, both have their pros and cons, and some people feel like they are more than ready to take the big leap,  if you have the money, then why the hell not?) But still.

*Drum roll, please.*

The High-End Digital Cameras!

Also known as prosumer or bridge cameras, they are designed for those whose skill levels lie between a professional and a regular consumer. (If you’d ask me, they’re targeted for people who are trying to transition to Digital SLRs but without the proper knowledge or skill level.)

I would like to think of them as a good union of the good sides of the compact digicams and the DSLRs. It has many of the usual advantages of an SLR camera—numerous exposure and focus modes, versatile flash set-ups (meaning that you can attach accessory flashguns and the like), and medium-to-large aperture lenses—a multitude of manual controls but with more enhanced automatic settings. They are usually smaller in size and lighter in weight, which makes them more portable compared to a DSLR, which in addition to its hefty body, also has lenses which you also have to carry all the time. (As you can see, there’s also a stark similarity in its physical appearance with the DSLR. So if you’re in it for the ego power, then surely this has got pogi points.) Basically, you can do more with a prosumer digital camera than you can with a basic digital camera with almost the same image quality as that of a DSLR’s.

High-end digital cameras, however, have fixed lenses as opposed to the interchangeable lenses of a DSLR—one of the latter’s top features. They also lack the mirrors, larger sensors and reflex systems which characterize any DSLR.

Compared to the compact digital camera, it has better light-catching ability due to the premium optical glasses crafted by its manufacturer. They usually have resolutions that start from 5MP and…well, we just know it starts there.

Some examples of prosumer digital cameras lines are: Canon’s Powershot G line and Fujifilm’s Finepix S series. Their price ranges from moderately expensive to highly expensive.

How To Choose Your “Dream” Camera - The NCGVF’s

These are the moments when eenie-meenie-miney-mo’s are completely useless. I mean, you aren’t shooting a bullet in the dark here, am I right?

In choosing your “dream” camera, you have to keep these in mind:

1. Necessity: WHY Do you need a camera? Are you just gonna buy it to brag it? Or do you want to capture the true essence or reality, the mood, the aura of every single aspect of life, and post it up on Flickr, making everyone else with a boring old digital camera green with envy? We all know that holding one of these babies makes you feel HIGH &MIGHTY (I know it makes me) but do you really need it?
2. Cost: How much money have you set aside to actually buy this contraption? Is it worth it? Can you still afford dinner right after buying this?
3. Guarantee: Is it a sturdy camera? Will it last long? Does the guarantee cover meteor damage?
4. Value: How will you treasure your mechanical child? Will you leave him on the shelf for the dust bunnies to devour? Or will you give TLC (Tender Loving Care) and keep him with you 24/7?
5. Favoritism: Which brand do you like?

So, there you have it, your NCGVF’s of choosing a camera. (Yes, I know it’s not very catchy)

Here are some added Do’s and dont’s:

DO

• Buy new lenses, they help a lot in professional photography.
• Choose carefully amongst the cameras, and make sure to research before buying anything.
• Make sure you aren’t getting ripped off.
• Not give into peer pressure. (If you’re still awake, you’d notice this should be under Don’t. I’m not an idiot.)
• Pursue this career with livelihood.
• Make sense in what you are buying.
• READ THE MANUAL [exclamation mark][exclamation mark][exclamation mark][one][one][eleventy one]

DON’T

• Be careless.
• Play guessing games on buying these things.
• Buy a camera to impress your girlfriend/boyfriend (It’ll turn out HORRIBLE)
• Be heartless to your cold-unfeeling mechanical son.
• Live a lie.
• Go hunting for ghosts… Or maybe this is a do, if you’re a paranormal investigator, then do. If you aren’t, then don’t.
• Don’t go swimming with this camera, unless you have an underwater cover.
• Drop
• Blend
• Don’t- Seriously, I could come up with a MILLION dumb suggestions, and you’ll never get the point. Just don’t do whatever you think is bad.

Author’s note:

I suggest Canon as a starting brand, except it may be a bit too expensive… But don’t take my word for it.

[Reading Rainbow reference... Hardy har har]

The Point-And-Shoot Digital Cameras

There’s no point of living in the digital age when moment-capturing devices, otherwise known as cameras,  aren’t rampant. But that’s the thing. There are so much cameras out there in the market, how do you know which is which? How do you know which one would be able to fit your photographic needs? Would it fit into your budget? Consider this series as a buyer’s guide of some sort. Point-and-shoots first, then we’ll get onto the High-End Digital Cameras and to the DSLRs on the following posts. ;)

To start off, let’s put the spotlight on the point-and-shoot digital cameras.

The Point-And-Shoot Digital Cameras

Arguably the most common type of digital cameras, they are designed for people who have no in-depth knowledge regarding photography, but want a camera for regular everyday use—vacations, parties, reunions and other events.

Also known as compact digital cameras (whilst those slimmer than 20mm are known as ultracompacts), they are called point-and-shoot because of their simplicity and uncomplicated controls. Because of this, they only have a few manual controls.  My Sony Cybershot DSC-T30’s program mode, for example, allows me to adjust its color mode (to b&w and sepia, for example); the exposure values; the focus, the metering mode, the white balance, ISO and contrast.  Some may cameras have less, some may have more– it varies per manufacturer and per model. Also, most  P&S cameras have shooting modes which automatically adjust your camera’s settings for certain circumstances (sports, portrait, landscape, fireworks, snow, macro etc.). They will also have low-power built-in flash units. Its resolutions start from as low as 2MP to as high as 10MP (and probably even higher, seeing the manufacturing boom in compacts)

The most popular examples of compact digital camera lines are: Sony’s Cybershot line, Canon’s Powershot (A, D and E series) and Digital IXUS lines and Fujifilm’s Finepix line. Their price ranges from low to moderately expensive.

3 Basic Digital Camera Modes You Should Know

“Great, I’ll get going and try to-”

Now now, not so fast, we can’t have you running amuck with next to no skill in photography, you might miss a scandal of Miley Cyrus! We can’t have that happen, can we? We have to learn how to take a picture first.

Alright, first thing’s first, get ready to take the hardest step in photography: Taking pictures.

You see that there button positioned, usually, at the right hand corner of the DSLR? Yes, that is what we call the… honestly, I don’t know what it’s called, just click it. It should take a picture, right?

Anyways, what exactly makes a digital SLR different from other cameras? First off, look at the size. The cameras we usually take on vacation are considered “point & shoot cameras”  They are semi automatic, you can switch their settings to be fully automatic, or control the ISO of the camera itself. But that’s pretty much you can do with a point& shoot; however, with an SLR, everything can be: Automatic, semi-automatic, or manual. Usually, this depends on the person taking the picture, since you guys are beginners (Or I’m guessing you guys are)  you guys should set your camera to that green box positioned on the dial.

That is what we call the automatic setting (make sure the lens are on automatic too) This is basically, for the beginners. In this mode, you should notice the settings on the screen when you actually take a picture. For example:

Canon Digital Rebel XT

The settings are on the illuminated screen there. The 4000 is the shutter speed, while the 5.6… we shouldn’t really be focusing on that right now, but it should be taught sooner or later.

So right now, we need to make a few things straight:

-The camera has horrible automatic settings, things come out darker than usual. Only trust the camera when you are at a place like a party, and you aren’t too bothered with taking “artistic” pictures.

-Manual should only be used for people who hate anything automatic. I use manual, because I’m impatient. Also, it’s fun to experiment with.

-”P” is the recommended automatic setting. It takes in light like a beauty, but it’s not so good with moving targets.

-The green square-When at parties, trust the green.

-A-Dep is used by many people, however, I am very sorry that I know very little on this setting, but I promise that I will study up and teach you guys.

For now, let’s just stick to the green box, and the “P” settings.

For the green box… Even a monkey can use it. I’m sorry, but that’s the truth.

For “P”, you can hold it by hand, or you could just use a tripod. Using a tripod on this mode is really recommended, since this mode is used to “illuminate” still pictures. It’s useful when you want to take in light trails, or movement blurs. However, it’s not useful to take party pictures.

So, I’m sorry if this post didn’t really teach anything, but I couldn’t really sleep. Please comment on things that need to be clear. Thank you.

What Is Photography? Its Origin

Shh… I hear something…

-Shutter Click-

“Aww, someone blinked! Let’s try that again!”

Have you ever, seriously, have that happen to you? When people are taking group pictures, and you just somehow HAVE to retake a picture just because someone blinked? That’s nice for you, because I’ve never had that happen to me before. Why? I just never seemed to care enough. But this blog isn’t about me, it’s about the little “magic box” that steals our very form and duplicates it into a picture, wherein we are “trapped” within our own guises, along with time being frozen.

Yeah, it doesn’t really happen that way.

Think of it this way. A camera records light. Hence, Photography, Photo- meaning light, and -graphy meaning writing/field of study. Perhaps photography is the study of light huh? No, it isn’t. Photography is basically an art form, where Photo means light, and graphy means writing. The writing of light, that’s basically photography summed up. And you want to know the best part? With a camera, we can control this. Provided, we use the right settings.

So, a little about myself, I’m Karl Rojas, a 15 year old amateur photographer. I was born over in San Francisco, and I moved to the Philippines to push through my studies. I never got the chance to get into photography in “Bay Area” (Missed a lot of pictures there) but, I have the Philippines to thank for this… “art. Anyways, A Canon Digital Rebel XT stands at my arsenal, but I only use set lens, unfortunately. (Yes, I’m poor, I know that :P) But, think of it this way: Photography, it’s only as good as the camera you’re using. That’s the truth.

So, summer’s gotten a little boring, and I have nothing to do,

I’d like to learn a little, and so should you.

So, if you’re thinking this is like a “journey” where we will both learn the same things at the same time, then so be it. It’s not my fault if you get lost, at the same time I do. I’m just the tour guide, you know!

Things To Know About Photography

The thing about photography is that anyone can do it. Hand someone a camera, point, shoot, click, bam. Picture taken. It doesn’t even matter what camera you’re using. It can be the basic 35mm “film” camera, a basic digital camera or a digital SLR. But the nitty gritty of photography ain’t all that. It ain’t just point-shoot-click. There are things you have to learn, and even the most basic of digital cameras have those options that you wouldn’t know what it does until heaven whispers it to you. I should know, because I’ve been there before. There are so much things to learn: aperture, focus, shutter speed, white balance, ISO, focus, exposure yada yada yada. It’s a whirlwind of information.

But don’t worry, the best thing about photography is learning even the most boring things can be fun. Because you see the point in learning them, and along the way, you get to apply them. Photography is an enjoyable ride, and it’s one lesson worth taking.

I am Vicky, by the way. A 15-year-old photography enthusiast who will stay that way for a really really long time. And I, my dear friends, am the tour guide of this ride.