camera basics
DESCRIPTION
Camera basic trainingTRANSCRIPT
Camera Basics
Art Production
Table of Contents
• Types of CamerasTypes of Cameras• Research before buyingResearch before buying• ComponentsComponents• FeaturesFeatures
Types of Cameras
• Average userAverage user – compact, ultra-light, auto everything, permanent lens, range-finder
• Semi-professional or EnthusiastSemi-professional or Enthusiast – compact to full size, auto and manual settings, sometimes removable lens, video and audio capability, Range-Finder or Single-Lens Reflex, special effects
• Professional Professional – SLR, high-burst, hi-res, best of everything
Range-Finder vs Single Lens Reflex
• Range-finder eye view is not the same as the lens view
• SLR eye view is directly through the lens
Things to consider when buying
• Ratings – Do Your Research First!!!!!!– www.pcmag.com – www.epinions.com– www.shopper.com
PC Magazine
Epinions
• Epinions gives consumer ratings for just about everything
• http://www.epinions.com/Digital_Cameras/search_string_~camera%20lenses/previous_search_string_~digital%20camera%20lenses/adv_search_~1
Things to consider: LENSLENS
• Lens – Permanent or changeable?
• Zoom range – optical & digital zoom?– Ex: 10X Zoom (might be 6x optical & 4x digital)
• The quality of the lens is perhaps the most important consideration in buying a camera
• Pay the extra for the best lens
• High-resolution implies a better lens
• (Carl Zeiss)
Things to consider: LENSLENS
• Cheap lenses can cause the edges of the picture to be blurry, cause purple fringing (Chromatic Aberration), poor auto-focus, poor detail, often are plastic not glass, easy to scratch, tiny in size, flimsy design, fragile in zoom mode
Things to consider: LENSLENS• Range considerations• 50mm is the average camera lens range (45
degrees)
– Smaller than 50mm = wide-angle (common in digital)– larger than 50mm = telephoto or zoom
50mm lens
108mm Telephoto
28mm Wide-Angle Lens
10 to 17mmFisheye
Lens
16-35 mm Wide-angle & standard zoom combo lens
File Formats• JPEGJPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group)
– Automatically does lossy compression– The camera embeds all special settings into the image -- focus,
contrast, saturation, white balance, etc. Ready to publish– Exports to computer at 8-bit mode– 256 brightness levels
• Cheap cameras compress 8:1 to 25:1• Quality cameras compress 2.7:1 to 8:1
• RAW – The camera captures the image as is, uncompressed. All camera
settings are embedded in a header tag, but not applied to the RAW photo. This allows more editing freedom with Photoshop, etc. RAW requires necessary editing software and conversion before publishing
– Exports to computer TIFF or PSD format in 16-bit mode– 65,536 brightness levels
Batteries
• lithiumlithium ion rechargeableion rechargeable – smaller, recharge faster, short life span, pricey, camera specific
• nickelnickel hydridehydride – rechargeable AA; cheaper; available everywhere
• nickelnickel cadmiumcadmium – Disposable; cheap, not recommended. Wears out fast
• alkalinealkaline – Disposable batteries; easy to swap out in the field
• lithiumlithium – Disposable, last 7x longer
Memory Card Types
USB Connector
ImageMate™ & SecureMate™ www.sandisk.com
Easy connections to computer
Variety of Flash Card IDE ports
Special Features
• Silent moviesSilent movies• Sound moviesSound movies• Voice-overVoice-over• Attach to phone Attach to phone
or PDAor PDA• Digital zoomDigital zoom• WirelessWireless• Color optionsColor options
• Time lapseTime lapse• PanoramaPanorama• AutobracketingAutobracketing• Playback optionsPlayback options
– thumbnailthumbnail– slideshowslideshow
Special Features
• AutoAuto• PP – Auto with manual
over-ride
• Tv (or S)Tv (or S) – Shutter-speed control
• Av (or A)Av (or A) – Aperturecontrol
• MM – fully manual
Included Software
• Adobe Photoshop CS over $600
• Corel’s Photo-Paint $549
• Adobe Photoshop Elements $99
• Paintshop Pro $99
• Microsoft PictureIt! $54
• Ulead Photo Express $49
• ACDSee $49
Camera Use Basics
Section 2
Table of Contents
• ResolutionResolution• ExposureExposure• ApertureAperture – F-StopF-Stop – controls depth
of focus
• ShutterShutter speedspeed – controls light
• ASA/ISOASA/ISO – Film speed or sensitivity
Things to consider:
ResolutionResolutionIt’s not just about mega-pixels!
• 3 mega-pixels3 mega-pixels will print out 8x10 in fairly good quality (current popular range is 5 – 8 mp5 – 8 mp)
• Superior lensSuperior lens• Large Image SensorsLarge Image Sensors in CCD (charge-
coupled device) or CMOS (complimentary metal oxide semiconductor) = high resolution
• ADC ADC (Analog-to-digital converter) 8-bit is common, 12-bit or higher = superior
Resolutions Compressions
• 2,592X1,944 LARGE
• 2,048X1,536 M1
• 1,600 1,200 M2
• 640x480 SMALL
• SUPERFINE = Minimal compression, as low as 2:1
• FINE = Medium compression, 6, 8, or more:1
• NORMAL = Maximum compression, as high as and higher than 30:1
SuperfineSuperfine LARGELARGE 3,885 KB3,885 KB2,592 x 1,9442,592 x 1,944
SuperfineSuperfine M1M1 2,5152,515 KBKB2,048 x 1,5362,048 x 1,536
SuperfineSuperfine M2M2 1,7391,739 KBKB1,600 x 1,2001,600 x 1,200
SuperfineSuperfine SMALLSMALL 337337 KBKB640 x 480 640 x 480
SuperfineSuperfine LARGELARGE 3,8853,885 KBKB2,592 x 1,9442,592 x 1,944
SuperfineSuperfine M1M1 2,5152,515 KBKB2,048 x 1,5362,048 x 1,536
SuperfineSuperfine M2M2 1,7391,739 KBKB1,600 x 1,2001,600 x 1,200
SuperfineSuperfine SMALLSMALL 337337 KBKB640 x 480 640 x 480
FineFine LARGELARGE 2,5542,554 KBKB2,592 x 1,9442,592 x 1,944
FineFine LARGELARGE 2,5542,554 KBKB2,592 x 1,9442,592 x 1,944
FineFine M1M1 1,6491,649 KBKB2,048 x 1,5362,048 x 1,536
FineFine M1M1 1,6491,649 KBKB2,048 x 1,5362,048 x 1,536
FineFine M2M2 1,1821,182 KBKB1,600 x 1,2001,600 x 1,200
FineFine M2M2 1,1821,182 KBKB1,600 x 1,2001,600 x 1,200
FineFine SMALLSMALL 234234 KBKB640 x 480 640 x 480
FineFine SMALLSMALL 234234 KBKB640 x 480 640 x 480
NormalNormal LARGELARGE 1,3771,377 KBKB2,592 x 1,9442,592 x 1,944
NormalNormal LARGELARGE 1,3771,377 KBKB2,592 x 1,9442,592 x 1,944
NormalNormal M1M1 888888 KBKB2,048 x 1,5362,048 x 1,536
NormalNormal M1M1 888888 KBKB2,048 x 1,5362,048 x 1,536
NormalNormal M2M2 659659 KBKB1,600 x 1,2001,600 x 1,200
NormalNormal M2M2 659659 KBKB1,600 x 1,2001,600 x 1,200
NormalNormal SMALLSMALL 135135 KBKB640 x 480 640 x 480
NormalNormal SMALLSMALL 135135 KBKB640 x 480 640 x 480
Advise on setting resolution and compression
• Use the highest settings your memory card can handle without filling up during a shoot
• Resize down later on the computer using graphics-editing software like Windows PowerToy – Image Resizer
• http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/powertoys/xppowertoys.mspx
What is an Exposure ?
• The quantity of light allowed to act on a photographic material; a product of the
• intensity (controlled by the lens opening apertureaperture) and the
• duration (controlled by the shutter shutter speedspeed or enlarging time) of light striking the film
Aperture aka F-Stop
• F-stop – or focus-stop: Determines how much light gets in
LOW F-Stop
Wide-open aperture allows photos in dim lighting, creates a narrow depth of focus
Low F-Stop allows you to raise your shutter speed to 1/125 of second or faster, eliminating the need for a tripod. Photos taken with slower shutter speeds, such as 1/60, need a tripod or steady hand
F-Stop
High F-Stop requires bright lights for fast shutter speed. It allows an infinite depth of focus
F-Stop Focus Range – Depth of Field
F-Stop & Shutter Speed
F-Stop Focus Range – Shallow
Depth of Field
F-Stop Focus Range – Medium Depth of Field
Infinite Depth of field
Shutter SpeedShutter Speed
Shutter Speed
• The more light, the faster the shutter speed 1/125 is lower limit without tripod
• The less light, the slower the shutter speed
• The lower the F-stop, the faster the shutter speed
• The higher the F-stop, the slower the shutter speed
Shutter Speed• A slow shutter speed
(125 range) allows all available light in and is preferred whenever possible. This can greatly improve the quality of a photograph by allowing the receptors plenty of time to absorb the image
A slower shutter speed often spells “blurry pictures” unless a tripod is used. Do not shoot below 1/125 without a tripod – (Notice the 60 is in RED)A high shutter speed may be grainy, but less blurry in low light, and captures action
ASA is now ISOASA is now ISO
• Abbreviation for American Standards Association, replaced by ISO (International Organization for Standardization). Used with a number to define film speed and sensitivity
• ISO 100ISO 100 high resolution medium speed for everyday outdoor use
• ISO 200 and 400ISO 200 and 400 grainer, but faster; used for indoor, limited light, or capturing action; allows faster shutter speed and eliminates tripod
• Specialty filmSpecialty film can go very low ISO 6ISO 6 and lower – super-sensitive, used for capturing maximum resolution, blowing pictures up to poster or billboard size
• Specialty filmSpecialty film can go very high ISO 6400ISO 6400 for capturing bullets, arrows, and other super-high speed actions
• Digital cameras have ISO equivalents
End