Guide To Digital Photography

[aikliang]

Ever since I got my Nikon D50 as a gift from my brother, I have been reading up quite a bit on digital photography. Also the recent post by bro moeyhc on choosing a DLSR got me thinking that, other the topics covered, mfm never had a serious and dedicated topic on digital photography. Searching through the Board Index, I found 5 topics that were related to photography but they are more on hardware, not tips, etc...

viewtopic.php?f=32&t=2625
viewtopic.php?f=32&t=7488
viewtopic.php?f=32&t=7278
viewtopic.php?f=32&t=4602
viewtopic.php?f=32&t=8886

Recently I came across a magazine giving tips and guides to digital photography. As I read the magazine I found tons and tons of information, which is not in the instruction manual. True, we can google for these on the internet but how to choose and filter all the sites.

Therefore I decided to start this thread/topic and hope all that all photography enthusiasts - both professional and amateurs will contribute so that we can learn from each other. All tips and questions are welcome from hardware, software, photo imaging, websites, etc.

However, please observe forum rules when posting... Happy shooting

[aikliang]

To start, I am highlighting the 3 most common type of digital cameras today, which are Compacts, Superzooms and Digital SLRs.

Compacts are, well compact cameras - small light and easily portable. But many of these compacts do not offer full control over settings such as aperture, shutter speed and have limited functions and zoom capabilities. Higher ranges may give you more control but you will need to pay quite a premium.

Superzooms look like digital SLRs but their functions and internal designs are nearer to compacts than the digital SLR. Only difference is that they offer higher magnification (zoom) capabilities and offer more control and setting together with advance features over the compacts.

Digital SLR or DLSR - self explanatory. Everybody knows what they are...

Buying tip:- for casual snaps, 99% on auto settings, go for compacts. If you want more control over your shoots but want to leave the serious work to the camera - go for the superzooms. DLSR are for budding professionals and serious amateurs or for those who want to have absolute control and flexibility over their shoots.

[moeyhc]

Thanks for starting this interesting n useful topic Bro aikliang.

Allow me to share my experience on taking pictures while on holiday.

- If you are with a group tour you have limited time to take pictures. You're better off using a prosumer or compact. With dSLR you'll waste too much time 'preparing' your shots then actually enjoying your holiday. Remember you are on holiday... not working as a cameraman. I find the Super-zoom very handy.

- If you're on a free n easy tour then bring all you can take body, lenses, tripod, flash.... etc. Don't forget your Lappy too...

- If you are going to cold icy places.... bring extra batteries. Your battery's life is much shorter when in a cold environment. Keep your camera warm inside your jacket after use to prolong its battery life.

- If you find a scene very interesting or must take... make sure you preview the shots and retake if needed. Don't shoot and walk away. On tour it is unlikely you'll have a second chance.

- Take some shots of the scene/environment without friends or family members in it... I have friends with all their pictures having someone inside. Don't massacre the scenes....

- Always have a waterproof bag or container to store your camera in an emergency... rain, snow, waterfall, caves, waves... etc. They even spray water in the Planetarium in Hong Kong while I watch Halley's Comet in 1986. So be prepared.

Cheers!

[vash_h]

To start, I am highlighting the 3 most common type of digital cameras today, which are Compacts, Superzooms and Digital SLRs.

Compacts are, well compact cameras - small light and easily portable. But many of these compacts do not offer full control over settings such as aperture, shutter speed and have limited functions and zoom capabilities. Higher ranges may give you more control but you will need to pay quite a premium.

Superzooms look like digital SLRs but their functions and internal designs are nearer to compacts than the digital SLR. Only difference is that they offer higher magnification (zoom) capabilities and offer more control and setting together with advance features over the compacts.

Digital SLR or DLSR - self explanatory. Everybody knows what they are...

Buying tip:- for casual snaps, 99% on auto settings, go for compacts. If you want more control over your shoots but want to leave the serious work to the camera - go for the superzooms. DLSR are for budding professionals and serious amateurs or for those who want to have absolute control and flexibility over their shoots.

i think cameras are categorized into the following:
1. Consumer
2. Prosumer
3. Professional

For example, consumer cameras are also known as point and shoot, generally is the camera most people use.. you can set certain pre-set functions but not able to control the aperture or the shutter speed directly.

Prosumer cameras are those more advanced consumer cameras.. in the middle of professional dslrs and consumer cameras.. they have the ability of shooting in raw, almost all functions of a slr except lens is not interchangeable.

Next, the professional cameras, the dslr.
the dslr is divided into 3 sub-categories. Entry level (such as the EOS 1000D), semipro (such as the EOS 50D) and the professional (such as EOS 1D mark 4)

[aikliang]

i think cameras are categorized into the following:
1. Consumer
2. Prosumer
3. Professional

For example, consumer cameras are also known as point and shoot, generally is the camera most people use.. you can set certain pre-set functions but not able to control the aperture or the shutter speed directly.

Prosumer cameras are those more advanced consumer cameras.. in the middle of professional dslrs and consumer cameras.. they have the ability of shooting in raw, almost all functions of a slr except lens is not interchangeable.

Next, the professional cameras, the dslr.
the dslr is divided into 3 sub-categories. Entry level (such as the EOS 1000D), semipro (such as the EOS 50D) and the professional (such as EOS 1D mark 4)

Actually my intention is not to be drawn into what are the categories but to give an idea of the categories. All this while, I have always thought there were only 2 - P&S (Compact) and DSLR. The fact that there is a category in between makes me a real NOVICE . That's why I feel is it appropriate to start this topic so that I can learn from photography sifus in mfm

[silverbeauty]

"Prosumer range" Panasonic LX5 launching soonnnnnnnnn

http://www.dpreview.com/news/1007/10072 ... dmclx5.asp

[aikliang]

These are some of the links which I have extracted from the other topics/posts. I have not check the links but some of them may already be out-dated.

http://www.keh.com/
http://www.dpreview.com/
http://www.dcresource.com/
http://www.jcmatthew.com/products/hdmp/PMP890.html
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read. ... e=33797539
http://www.kenrockwell.com/index.htm
http://www.nikon.com.my/products.php
http://cybershack.blogspot.com/
http://www.alphamountworld.com/
http://www.gadgetsdeal.com/
http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/showthread.php?t=458315
http://www.photomalaysia.com/forums/for ... y.php?f=60
http://www.shutterasia.com/forum/showthread.php?t=643
http://www.digitalcamerainfo.com/conten ... l-Tour.htm
http://www.nikondigitutor.com/index_eng.html
http://www.imaging-resource.com/IMCOMP/COMPS01.HTM (contributed by thomasashley)
http://www.imaging-resource.com/(contributed by thomasashley)

On another note, I joined this forum yesterday for Nikon Camera owners http://www.nikoncafe.com/vforums/index.php?. Do you know that Nikon camera owners are called "Nikonians" and sooner or later they will be afflicted with a disease called "NAS" - Nikon Acquisition Syndrome. The symptoms are very easy to recognize - always want to purchase something for their Nikon cameras or constantly looking to up-grade to a higher model.

[aikliang]

Here's a tip that I got from a website... remember the saying " Never leave all your eggs in one basket"

Memory cards now comes in various capacity from the older days of 8MB to the latest 64GB. Even with 1GB, depending on the format which you save your shoots, you can get up to few hundreds pictures before running out of memory. On my Nikon, I am shooting and saving in RAW format using a 2GB Micro SD Card and am getting about 200+ pictures.

But do I really want to keep all my pictures inside 1 SD Card? What happen if for some reason the card cannot be read or if the card is full, I change to a new card but somehow the 1st card goes missing? There goes all those shots of the family in Disneyland and Ocean Park.....

The tip is that with Memory Cards being so cheap nowadays, it make sense to spread your pictures over several memory cards. Ideally have 2 or 3 and spread your shoots over the other cards. This way, even if 1 of the card is un-readable, at least you still have some shoots available...

[moeyhc]

Spreading out the cards is one thing but with one camera you don't get the missed pictures.... I always carry two cameras and alternate my shots.

[vash_h]

Here's a tip that I got from a website... remember the saying " Never leave all your eggs in one basket"

Memory cards now comes in various capacity from the older days of 8MB to the latest 64GB. Even with 1GB, depending on the format which you save your shoots, you can get up to few hundreds pictures before running out of memory. On my Nikon, I am shooting and saving in RAW format using a 2GB Micro SD Card and am getting about 200+ pictures.

But do I really want to keep all my pictures inside 1 SD Card? What happen if for some reason the card cannot be read or if the card is full, I change to a new card but somehow the 1st card goes missing? There goes all those shots of the family in Disneyland and Ocean Park.....

The tip is that with Memory Cards being so cheap nowadays, it make sense to spread your pictures over several memory cards. Ideally have 2 or 3 and spread your shoots over the other cards. This way, even if 1 of the card is un-readable, at least you still have some shoots available...

this is a good tip.. if u break 1 card, not all photos are lost :-)