Photography Course Online - Choose The Right Lens For Your Situation!

Most photographers would say their lens is their most critical piece of equipment. It is used for many vital aspects that make an excellent photo. These include focusing on the subject, the amount of scene captured and passing light to the camera's sensor. Therefore, choosing the right lens for the type of picture you are taking is crucial to the success of your final image. Lenses are divided into groups, depending on the field of view they give. When following a photography course online, it helps to know which lens to use for each situation, or assignment.

How to Choose a High Quality Single Lens Reflex Camera

Since the camera was first invented, it has come a long way in just a short amount of time. The sad thing is that not many people are purchasing the old film cameras now that there have been so many advances in the digital side of cameras. People love the fact that they can take a picture and view before they decide if it is one that they want to use. They can delete them if they do not like them too. This is a by-product of our "everything now" attitude. So how do you choose the right high quality SLR (single lens reflex) camera?

An SLR camera uses mirror technology to capture the images that are presented to the camera in the viewfinder. This is different from other digital cameras in that only the light is used for a regular digital camera. With this technology, images can be previewed on the screen that is typically found on the back of the camera.

It is important to ensure that the sensor and focal length are looked to make sure it has a large sensor. Those who want to be able to take clear pictures with good clarity need to have this larger sensor in order to get a bigger angle. Of course you do pay for these extra features and better quality but many feel that the added expense is worth it.

You can expect an SLR digital camera to be much larger than other digital cameras because of the extra features. They also do not have any ability to film video as other digital cameras do but with as fast as the technology is advancing it is assumed that it may be an option soon. While the size may be larger, the quality is also much better than others cameras.

One of the best features of this type of digital camera is that they can use different lens and filters such as the 35mm cameras of days gone by. This makes them comparable to the older technologies in cameras. Just make sure that you keep all of the parts clean and free from dust when changing the lenses in order to keep from having spots on the photographs.

Anyone who is looking for a good quality camera and who wants to buy one that is easy to use should consider the SLR digital camera. While they do cost a bit more, they are well worth the price.

35mm Film Scanner - How to Choose the Best One For You

When it comes to searching for a 35mm film scanner, there is a wide variety of models and options to choose from.  There are very inexpensive models that run only $100-$150 all the way up to high end machines that cost over $1000.  There are many other options to choose from as well in terms of the features, resolution, bit depth, editing capabilities, interfacing and more.  Here are some tips to help you find the best film scanner for you.

Of course one of the most important considerations is your budget.  If money is tight but you really want to preserve all of those old 35mm slides and negatives that you and your family have been accumulating for years, then you may need to go with a low cost model.  Many people are quite pleased with a  35mm film scanner in this category.  The most important thing to keep in mind is these machines will not produce as high a quality of image as a high performance scanner will.

When you are comparing other features and options on various 35mm film scanners, you will want to compare things like the resolution, bit depth, and the editing software that goes along with the different scanners you are considering.  These features can all affect the quality of the digital image that you end up with.  A higher resolution, for example, will give you a clear picture and and the bit depth will affect the coloring of your images.  You will also want to consider the software and user interface that comes with the 35mm film scanner.  Although other software such as Photoshop can be used later to clean up images, if the scanner comes with good editing software with a user friendly interface, this will save you a lot of time and headaches and you are more likely to end up with digital images that you are happy with.

Powershot S51s - Why Choose the Canon Powershot S51s?

Image : http://www.flickr.com

If you're in the market for a solid camera that performs well and is a versatile shooter fully equipped to take excellent photo's the Canon Powershot s51s will suit all your preferences and most importantly will fit your budget. Why choose the Canon Powershot s51s digital camera over hundred's of others?

Anyone who is in the market for a good digital camera must take a look at Canon who continues to lead the way in digital camera technology. Canon's cameras are offering not only great looks but naturally take suburb pictures. Its compact size and light weight make them the perfect stick in your pocket go anywhere camera.

This great digital camera offers the user easy operation and this model has 8 mega pixels...12X Optical zoom and a giant 2.5 inch viewing screen. And as with most of the camera's being offered use 4AA batteries which means you can get rechargeable or regular without spending tons on custom battery packs.

You don't have to break the bank to own a good digital camera, you can own one for as little as $250 bucks right up to $1500 bucks. And depending wear you buy the Powershot s51s it will cost around $350 to $400 and it's worth every penny. Canon is a top leader in creative manufacturing of digital cameras today. And I think there success is in the way they cater to all photographers and offer a wide range of accessories on the market.

The era of 35mm traditional camera is being taken over my new modern digital technology. Now we can view the picture immediately after it's taken and choose to keep it or delete it and take another. We can even see our pictures on our TV's, make short video clips complete with sound. Wow! You got to love it!

What Lens Should I Choose For Nature and Landscape Photography?

What lens should I choose for nature and landscape photography?

Quite often when you buy your first SLR (single lens reflex) camera, it will come bundled with a lens. Some stores are flexible and will let you choose a different lens (with varying cost) to take with your camera body.

The lens is just as important as the body you choose, and will determine the quality of your images.

The aperture of the lens is important, but in terms of choosing a lens, the lower the number, represents how wide the lens can open, and how fast it can work. This is because the wider a lens can open, the more light can be let in and the faster an image can be taken. The aperture is represented by 'f.' and the lower the number, the wider it gets. So, a lens that is 50mm with an f/2.8 is pretty fast. Why would you want this? It means you can take pictures quickly even when you are handholding the camera.

There are generally three types of lenses you can choose; Standard, Telephoto and Wide Angle. Lenses can also be 'fixed' or 'zoom'.

What does this mean?

Zoom and fixed lens

Well, a zoom lens will have two numbers, say 80 - 200mm. This means that it can take images from 80mm to 200mm (from a standard view to fairly close up). A fixed focal lens or 'prime' lens will not zoom in and out, but just provide one viewpoint. These lenses are often more expensive because although they do not have the flexibility of the zoom lenses, they are of higher quality and can normally take pin sharp images. However, the zoom lenses mean that you can carry one instead of three separate lenses and offers more possibilities to the average photographer.

Standard lens

In film format, a standard or normal lens is around 40mm to 55mm, although 50mm is the closest to how the human eye works. This makes the lens very user friendly and suitable for many situations.

Telephoto lens

The telephoto lens is a widely used choice in wildlife photography. With a telephoto, you can stay a fair distance back from the object you are photographing and close in on it. If you are photographing animals, quite often you do not want to disturb them, or else they will run away. Additionally, if you are on safari, you cannot get to close to dangerous animals - if you are in a zoo, you often have to see animals from afar. Telephotos can be from 85mm up to 1200mm. The recommended lenses for wildlife is 300mm - 400mm for land animals and 600mm for birds (since they are often far away).

With a telephoto lens, especially for wildlife, it can be worth spending more on a fast lens (with a low aperture number) but this can be costly. It is worth looking for a camera with the IS or VR function - 'Image Stabilized' or 'Vibration Reducing' depending on the manufacturer. This means there is less shake when taking a picture hand held (but it is better to use a tripod if you are using a long telephoto).

Wide-angle lens

Then there are wide-angle lenses, perfect for landscape. Because they can fit a lot into the picture, you can capture much of the landscape; foreground, a feature and perhaps the sky. As they tend to have a greater depth of field, it is easier to have sharp pictures. They are also wonderful for building and architecture shots, as you can use the wide angle to give a great sense of space. They can vary from 10mm up to 35mm (but bear in mind the multiplication factor with a digital camera.)

Macro lens

If you want to take close up images, it is a good idea to buy a macro lens. Macro lenses of 90mm to105mm with an aperture of 2.8 are often a good choice. These can be great for pictures of insects or of small wildlife and plants.

Lens accessories

There are different accessories you can purchase in order to get other effects.

There are lens hoods, which attach to the rim of your lens, and provide a shade from the sun. This prevents flare; the yellow dots or beams that sometimes occur when you take a photograph with bright sun.

Filters are an inexpensive and excellent way of adding color or special effects to your images. They also protect your lens from scratches and a lot of photographers will have a clear filter ready (regardless of whether they use digital or film) to put on a lens before they dream of taking it out.

Filters can come with an adaptor, in which you can slot square shaped filters into it, or in a circular form, that you can screw on top of the lens. With digital photography, the use of filters for color and enhancement is less popular because effects can be added later with digital editing software.

With film cameras, the number and types of filters are numerous; polarising for bringing out the sky and clouds, graduated for adding color to the sky, star filters for making stars and lights shine. Companies like Cokin, Hoya and Kood make a wide selection depending on your needs.

How to Choose a Pair of Binoculars

This article will give you most of the basic information needed in choosing a pair of binoculars. Choosing a pair of binoculars should not be a difficult or challenging experience. Use the guidelines listed below to help you choose the adequate binoculars for your viewing needs, especially if you are just beginning the world of up-close viewing.

o The first thing you should ask yourself when considering buying a pair of binoculars is, how much money do I want to spend for a pair of binoculars? This one question entails several answers and or other questions.

o How much? Binoculars come in many price ranges from very inexpensive, fifteen to twenty dollars each, to highly expensive models, up to several thousand dollars each. If you are buying your first pair of binoculars it is recommended that you start out at the lower end of the price range scale until you know what you are actually looking for in a pair of binoculars. Experienced binocular users generally know what they want as far as quality of binocular optics, power or magnification, waterproofing, barrels and other features that relate to binoculars and binocular use. Prices will normally increase, sometimes dramatically, as binocular quality goes up and binocular features expand. This is not to say that you can't enjoy up-close viewing with inexpensive binoculars.

o Binocular "power" or "magnification" is determined by the first numbers in the model designation, (example 10 x 50). 10 is the power or magnification ability of the binoculars which translates to making the object you are viewing appear 10 times closer to than viewed with the naked eye. A power of 10 is an all around good number for general binocular use, especially if you are a first time buyer. 10 power is somewhat in the middle of the power range and is good for most all viewing.

o Objective lens size, or the second number in the model designation example mentioned above is 50. The 50 represents the diameter of the objective or large lens of the binoculars in millimeters. This is important as this number determines how much "light" is gathered into the binoculars. The more light that is gathered into the binocular barrel, the brighter the image. The brighter the image also relates to how well you will be able to see in low light conditions. You will see much better in low light conditions (early morning, late evening or cloudy days) with an objective lens diameter of 50mm than you will with an objective lens diameter of 25mm. An objective lens diameter of 35mm to 50mm is a good place to start if you are new to the world of binoculars use.

o The next question you want to ask yourself is do I want large binoculars (standard size) or small binoculars (compact size)? Standard size binoculars must be carried in hand, on the shoulder or around the neck by the safety/carrying strap and can have higher powers and larger objective lens sizes than compacts. Most compact binoculars can be carried in the shirt pocket or coat pocket. The biggest disadvantage to compact binoculars is that they normally don't have an objective lens size of more than 35mm. A 25mm objective lens size is normally standard in most compact binoculars due to their small barrel size.

The above is basically all you need to know when purchasing a pair of binoculars. To recap, Price, Model designation (10 x 50) etc, and Size determination. There are dozens of other determining factors related to binocular choices and features. As you become more familiar with binoculars and your binocular viewing needs you can check the binocular sellers specifications for more information on a particular model of binoculars or go to the FAQ page of the binocular seller you are visiting to gain much more additional information that can and will influence your binoculars buying decision.

How To Choose A New Digital Camcorder

Image : http://www.flickr.com

When you go shopping for a new digital camcorder, you'll be presented with a endless number of specifications and features. Your challenge is to sort through all the specifications and figure out whether the camera will meet your specific needs. When reviewing the spec sheet for any new camcorder, pay special attention to these items:

1. CCDs: A 3-CCD (also called 3-chip) camcorder provides much better image quality but is also a lot more expensive. A 3-CCD camera is by no means mandatory, but it is nice to have.

2. Progressive scan: This is another feature that is nice but not absolutely mandatory.

Resolution: Some spec sheets list horizontal lines of resolution (for example, 525 lines); others list the number of pixels (for example, 690,000 pixels). Either way, more is better when it comes to resolution.

3. Optical zoom: Spec sheets usually list optical and digital zoom separately. Digital zoom numbers are usually high (200x, for example) and seem appealing. Ignore the big digital zoom number and focus (get it?) on the optical zoom factor (which describes how well the camera lens actually sees); the optical zoom factor should be in the 12x-25x range. Digital zoom just crops the picture captured by the CCD and then makes each remaining pixel bigger to fill the screen, resulting in greatly reduced image quality.

4. Tape format: MiniDV is the most common format.

5. Batteries: You should buy a camcorder that uses lithium ion batteries - they last longer and are easier to maintain than NiMH (nickel-metal-hydride) batteries.

6. Microphone connector: For the sake of sound quality, the camcorder should have some provisions for connecting an external microphone. Most camcorders have a standard mini-jack connector for an external mic, and some high-end camcorders have a 3-pin XLR connector. XLR connectors - also sometimes called balanced audio connectors - are used by many high-quality microphones and PA (public address) systems.

7. Manual controls: Virtually all modern camcorders offer automatic focus and exposure control, but sometimes manual control is preferable. Control rings around the lens are easier to use than tiny knobs or slider switches on the side of the camera - and you'll be familiar with them if you already know how to use 35mm film cameras.

Choose the Right Lens for Portraits

Image : http://www.flickr.com

Nothing beats a good portrait. Especially when the subject and the photographer are satisfied with the results.

But if you want to take good portrait photos need to think about investing in the right type of lens. If taxpayers are satisfied with the results of your work, then you get the lens for the job. And that means one with the right focal length.

Lenses with a focal length less than 80 mm are not good. Arenoses look too big because the photographer has to get in too close. The ideal portrait lens has a focal length in the range 90mm to 135mm. These keep the natural proportions of the face as you see with the naked eye.

Don't forget your sensor size when determining the equivalent focal length. Most modern digital cameras have a sensor that is smaller than the 35mm film equivalent. This means you have to factor in a multiplier to get the correct lens focal length. A film lens of 50mm would work out 80mm on a digital sensor with a 1.6 multiplier factor. Refer to your camera handbook for information on magnification factors for sensors.

A longer focal length means you can stand a bit further away and still fill the frame to your desire. This makes the nose more in proportion with the rest of the face and is very flattering.