Camera Learnin's
This new camera has really put me in a weird place. I was so used to my old system. I new exactly how to make it do what I wanted it to do. And now I don't know how to use all the bells and whistles of the new camera, even those that are very basic from camera to camera. I started thinking about it and at some point, I didn't know how to do those things on the old camera, either. I read the manual. So I got out my manual to answer the two biggest issues I've had so far:
1. Autobracketing. When this is set the camera will take three photos in quick succession. The exposure for each image is changed so that you have one "perfect" exposure, one "too dark" and one "too light." I had gotten to the point with my old camera where I always liked the "perfect" image, so I rarely used the other shots. So I basically stopped using bracketing. But there is a cool new technology emerging with digital imaging. It's called HDR. There are now programs that will combine all three of those exposures to grab the best parts of each. So the "dark" one will probably capture details around the sun and clouds better than the other two. The "light" one will capture details in shadows better than the other two. The "perfect" one will capture details in mid-light levels best. This HDR will combine all those "best" views to one phenomenal shot. Here's just one example.
You can see why I want to delve into this HDR thingy, not that I will capture images anywhere near that good. So the first thing I needed to do was figure out how to make my new camera bracket shots. I have now done so. Whew! The bad news is that I'm saving three big honkin' files per image. I'm gonna burn through my memory cards like crazy. I already have two. I may wander over to Frye's to see how cheaply I can pick up another one (or ten).
2. Using old lenses. I was lead to believe from the marketing hype that I could use all my current lenses on my fancy new camera. So far that has turned out to be true in all but one case. I forgot about my funky Ukrainian fish-eye. I took it with me when Poly and I shot in town...to no avail. I couldn't get it to take a picture with that lens attached at all. That was a big disappointment. I have been thinking I might get some interesting shots with that fish-eye on my trip. It's definitely not an every day kind of lens.
Again, reading the manual saves the day. I found a setting in my custom menu that allows me to use even this most primitive of lenses on my new camera. How marvelous. My next mission is to test it to see how the images look. I could go into a lot of technical mumbo jumbo to explain why this is important, but I won't. Suffice it to say that what used to be wide-angle on my old camera is considered normal on this camera. I have no idea how that change will make this lens look. And I highly doubt that the Ukrainian company has come out with new lenses to adjust for digital SLRs...but I could check.
Sorry, another post that probably wasn't too interesting for you...
1. Autobracketing. When this is set the camera will take three photos in quick succession. The exposure for each image is changed so that you have one "perfect" exposure, one "too dark" and one "too light." I had gotten to the point with my old camera where I always liked the "perfect" image, so I rarely used the other shots. So I basically stopped using bracketing. But there is a cool new technology emerging with digital imaging. It's called HDR. There are now programs that will combine all three of those exposures to grab the best parts of each. So the "dark" one will probably capture details around the sun and clouds better than the other two. The "light" one will capture details in shadows better than the other two. The "perfect" one will capture details in mid-light levels best. This HDR will combine all those "best" views to one phenomenal shot. Here's just one example.
You can see why I want to delve into this HDR thingy, not that I will capture images anywhere near that good. So the first thing I needed to do was figure out how to make my new camera bracket shots. I have now done so. Whew! The bad news is that I'm saving three big honkin' files per image. I'm gonna burn through my memory cards like crazy. I already have two. I may wander over to Frye's to see how cheaply I can pick up another one (or ten).
2. Using old lenses. I was lead to believe from the marketing hype that I could use all my current lenses on my fancy new camera. So far that has turned out to be true in all but one case. I forgot about my funky Ukrainian fish-eye. I took it with me when Poly and I shot in town...to no avail. I couldn't get it to take a picture with that lens attached at all. That was a big disappointment. I have been thinking I might get some interesting shots with that fish-eye on my trip. It's definitely not an every day kind of lens.
Again, reading the manual saves the day. I found a setting in my custom menu that allows me to use even this most primitive of lenses on my new camera. How marvelous. My next mission is to test it to see how the images look. I could go into a lot of technical mumbo jumbo to explain why this is important, but I won't. Suffice it to say that what used to be wide-angle on my old camera is considered normal on this camera. I have no idea how that change will make this lens look. And I highly doubt that the Ukrainian company has come out with new lenses to adjust for digital SLRs...but I could check.
Sorry, another post that probably wasn't too interesting for you...
Get the Live.com Holiday Page for recipes, gift-giving ideas, and more. Check it out!
2 Comments:
I enjoyed it, at least :)
I just (yesterday) got a new digital camera. Early anniversary present. You and Polyhave inspired me to look for more photo ops in my day to day travels.
Post a Comment
<< Home