Do you know how to read a lens?

This is the lens that I recommended Terry to buy.  Terry is going to New Zealand for holidays and he would really like to take some good photographs while traveling.  New Zealand is famous for its stunning scenery.  However Terry is new in photography and he does not want to carry too many things and neither does he want to spend too much money.  I think this lens is all he needs for this trip.

1. This is a telephoto (zoom) lens with a variable f/l (focal length) of 18 to 250mm.  You can vary the f/l just by turning the barrel of the lens.  The 'reach' offer by varying the focal length is enough for most amateur photographer's needs.  Basically you only need to take this one lens during your journey. 
2. At 18mm you can take picture of landscapes, stadium, fields, open spaces etc.  At the other end, 250mm will give you very close up view with great details of your subject.  Of course you can use any of the f/l in between i.e. 24, 28, 35 etc.  
3. The maximum aperture setting (f stop) of this lens for both variables is f 22.  However if you are using  18mm then the min aperture is f3.5 and for 250mm the min aperture is f6.3
4. If you want close up shots of your subject, you only need a minimum focusing distance of 17.7" (45cm).  In other words you can take pictures of any thing that is one and half feet from you.
5. HSM - Hypersonic Motor.  This is the inbuilt motor that causes the lens to focus in the shortest time.
6. OS - Optical Stabilisation.  The lens contain a gyro mechanism to eliminate the slightest movement to ensure you get the sharpest image.
7. DC - is a class of lens made by Sigma for digital cropped sensor.

So Salah (Wrong).

I saw this advertisement on the doors of the lifts that leads to an IT cum electronic hub in a shopping mall.  This picture is so salah (wrong)!  The first thing you learn is never to hold your DSLR this way when taking picture!

Your left palm should be placed underneath the camera to give it support.  Extend your thumb and index fingers to form a U, to fix snugly at the junction where the lens join the camera body.  This is to minimise shakes when you press on the shutter release button.  Camera shakes make blur photographs.   And the right hand should grasp firmly the right side of the camera.  Extend your index finger to engage the shutter release or to turn the dial to change camera settings.  (If you are left handed, just reverse right to left!)

Never hold the camera by grasping the sides.  when you push the shutter realease button you will force the camera to dip slightly.  Even the smallest movement will cause blurriness.  And you would think an electronic hub with experts in camera would know better than to put up such a picture!  Tsk, Tsk, Tsk.

Lost!!

I lost my Canon SX 120 while shooting the Taiping Lake last weekend..  Whoever found it please enjoyed taking pictures with it.  However if you have pinched it from me then beware of the curse .........

'Prep' your camera.

 You must 'prep' your camera before shooting.  Some of the settings you need to do it once,  Some you need to change to change according to shooting conditions.

1.  Make sure you have enough memory cards and battery.  Currently memory cards are relatively cheap, so buy a few.  Make it a habit to transfer all images in the card to your designated storage  (e.g. hard disc in your PC) at the end of each shoot.  Check your PC to make sure you have transferred the images properly.  Only then erased all the images in the memory card.  We tend to let images accumulate in the card.  Sooner or later this will lead to frustration and problems in sorting and storing images.

Personally I think it is better not to buy a card with a very large memory.  This way you will limit the number of images you can store in it.  Sometimes a memory card fails for no reason.  Imagined how frustrating and disappointing this can be if you happened to have several hundreds of  pictures still in it!

2.  Also make sure you have a fully charged battery at the beginning of each shoot.  It is also prudent that you have an extra battery in hand.  Of course do not forget to charge this too.

3.  Colour Space.  This determines the number of colours in your picture.  In the camera menu you have the choice of either 'Adobe RGB' or 'sRGB'.  I suggest you set your camer to Adobe RGB.  This is because RGB is universally accepted.  However sRGB is good if you are going to convert your files to CYMK which is used for offset printings.  If you have the time explore this subject.  There are lots of words and thoughts about this topic.  When you are better informd then make your own choice depending on your camera make, editing software and your picture final output.

4.  Drive Mode.  I shoot 99% of the time in 'single shot' mode.  Check your camera manual to see what other mode are available.  Most cameras will have a timer mode too.  This will set off an in-built timer in the camera to give you a 'delayed' period before the shutter engages.  Other than using this to take a self portrait, this is very good for taking pictures in low lights area witout a tripod.  Just put your camera on a steady surface.  This way you eliminate camera shakes completely!

5.  Picture quality and size.  I shoot almost exclusively in RAW.  A RAW image is an uncompressed format without any camera processing.  When you shoot in JPEG some processing will be carried out by the camera processor.  The biggest advantage o a RAW file is that you can do your own processing using the unaltered original.

Shooting RAW comes with a price.  The file size is very large so you get fewer pictures in your memory card.  And you need to process your RAW files with editing software before you can view your image.JPEG files are universally acceptable and you can send your images straight out of the box to your friends.  If you are shooting in JPEG, then choose the biggest size and best quality available.  You can always resize it smaller if you need to send your pictures using the internet.

6.  Exposure Mode.  This is perhaps one of the earliest decision you need to make when you switch on your camera. Most beginners will start with 'Automatic' and then progress to Program (P) and then eventually to either Av (Aperture Value) or Tv (Time Value).  Eventually you will come to M (Manual) mode.  In Manual mode you have full control of how much and how fast you want lights to enter the camera.

7.  ISO refers to the sensitivity of the camera pixels to lights.  If you find yourself in low lights conditions then consider increasing the ISO.  In most DSLR the ISO starts at 100.   But remember a big ISO gives you poor quality picture.  When the pixels gets sensitive they leaves alot of noise artefacts in the dark area of your picture.  It is a good habit to set your ISO to 100 (or below if available) at the beginning of each shooting session.

8.  Metering Mode can be a subject by its own.  All cameras are fitted with a light meter.  And the light meter takes its reading from the center of the lens.  The light meter measures the lights at the center and will tell the camera what settings to use for a correct exposure.  However for added flexibility the camera gives you several metering modes.  In Spot Metering mode the meter reads lighs from only 3.5% of the area from the center.  In Partial Metering it takes it a wider area, up to 9%.  For beginners I recommend you to use either the Evaluative or the Center Weighted Average.  In Evaluative the camera will sample lights from 25 zones.  And in the case of the Weighted Average, the camera sets the exposure by averaging the lights reading from all the zones.  As your skills progress you will know which mode to choose in order to  give you the kind of mood you want by accessing the scene in front of you.

9.  Another important setting that you pay attention to is the white balance (WB).  Most people will set their camera to Auto.  However the WB setting not only prevent 'colour cast' but also help to create moods.  When you shoot in a place lighted up with fluorescent lamps, it is obvious you should choose 'Flourescent' as your WB setting.  This setting will utilise a warm cast to cancel the 'blueness' of the fluorescent tubes.  So if you choose a Fluorescent WB to shoot a sunset scene you will intentionally add an even warmer cast to intensify the golden glow of the scene!  Likewise if you want to further cool your image then choose 'Tungsten'.

10.  Picture Style.  This is a standard provision in all Canon DSLKR.  If you are shooting in JPEG then this would affect the fianl result of your picture.  There are 5 different styles and another 3 which you can set as you own.  Each style comes with it's own pre set parameters (sharpness, contrast, saturation and colour tone).  However you are allowed to tweak these

settings to your own liking.  But some of us may not want the camera to do any processing, preferring to have total control.  If this is the case then set  your picture style to 'Neutral'.  Of course if you are shooting in RAW,  then all these settings will have no effect at all on your picture.

Conceited

 
 Although these writings are meant for newbies' (beginners), I assumed that my reader would have at least some rudimentary knowledge about the camera.

1. I assumed you would know how to charge the camera battery (not more than 4 hours),
2. How to format and insert the memory card (the storage medium that stores your images until you delete them, also what those numbers on the cards mean?) into the housing and
3. How to switch on the camera.

These maybe simple to a seasoned shooter but they can be baffling to a newbie.  The Chinese has a saying for this, 'A new daughter-in-law in the house is just like a baby taking his first steps'!  In this case the daughter-in-law is the the newbie with the camera.

I remember how a simple task like switching on the camera had me befuddled for weeks.  The on/off switch of the Canon 40D has three positions instead two.  The front and back dials will only work in tandem if you put the switch onto the third position.  It took me two weeks before I figured out the reason why the camera was not doing what I wanted it to do!  I was too conceited and never referred to the manual.

The Manual, the map to your camera.

 

The objective of buying a camera is to take pictures. The camera is just the mean to an end. However during the picture taking you will face many challenges. The 'end' is just not folders filled with pictures in your PC. Surely you would like something more than that.

To get good results we need a good tool. Needless to say to use the tool properly, you must have some ideas how it works. The working of simple is pretty straight forward. But a DSLR is a complex electro mechanical tool. Normally it comes with an array of buttons and dials. Some of these work independently, some in combination to perform functions. In the beginning this is all very confusing. Remember when you first learn to drive? After a period of time, the dashboard controls will become second nature. You will know what to do in an instance and most of it instinctive.

It's the same with the camera. There is really no short cut in learning about your camera. The more you handle the camera the better you will become. That is wy you will always hear laments of the drawers' shooter. You know, the type who will only bring out the camera from the drawer when the occasion arises. I really hope you are not one of them.

When I am in a foreign place, the first thing I do is to look for a map. I always like to have a bearing of my location in relation to my journey. This is also true with the camera. The manual is the map of your camera. It is always a great source of information that I can go back repeatedly. Eventually it will be inside my head. Manual are normally printed in the form of a small book. It is very portable and so no excuse for me not to bring it along during shoot. I find that every time when I handle the camera, that's when I come up with the questions!

P.S. do not despair if you forgot your manual. Most of them are available in the net!

Like Underwear.

Obsolete

What!!! The camera I am using (Canon Eos 40D) is now obsolete. It was replaced by the Eos 50D in August, 2008! How come camera manufacturers change the model like changing underwear?

Genie in the Camera

There is a micro processor in my Camera.

Yes indeed there is one. But there is also one in my washing machine too!

The chip in the camera is equipped with burnt in data and commands for the camera. Just imagine the chip as a half naked genie (think Barbara Eden in ‘I dream of Jeannie’). The Canon Eos 40D uses the Digic III image processor.

When the camera is set to automatic mode, the many eyes and hands genie will in a nano second;

• assess the quality of the lights entering,
• reach out to open the aperture to the correct size,
• adjust the lens barrel to get the sharpest focus,
• hold the shutter just long enough for the correct amount of light to hit the sensor,
• mind the white balance so that the white is white, not blue or yellow
• And not to forget to form the image of your subject in the sensor.

But photography is more than just a record of things or person at that specified time. Sooner or later I wish to exercise my creativity. And also to produce something attractive. Bit by bit I would like to take over some of the controls so that there is kind of input. After all I want to be known as the person who takes the picture, not just the camera.

Things you should know.

It goes without saying that we want nice and decent looking pictures. If you are reading this article you probably not getting what you want (no pun intended), you want to improve your skills or you have nothing better to read. Unless you intend to spend the rest of your life using the automatic mode in your camera then read on. (I am in caustic mode today owing to toothache. I just found out that the treatments I need will cost me RM2,300. Now I do not know which is more painful).

For a start these are the things that you must know when using a DSLR.

1. You cannot see your subject by looking at the back led screen. You have to look through the viewfinder. Don’t laugh. It happened to me and it was embarrassing.

2. Lens comes with a cover. Remember to remove cover before shooting. Always put cover into your pocket. If not you will be buying it for a long time.

3. Unless you have fully charged extra batteries on hand, then do not treat the led screen as a cinema. You will regret it when some fantastic photo opportunity comes along just when the camera runs out of battery from you showing the last 200 shots for the twentieth times.

4. Remember memory card have finite storage space. Unlike our brain, we have to transfers the data to some other source so that we can store new ones.

5. Always make sure your battery has juice (power). Better still invest in an extra battery. There are still places on this earth where you cannot charge your batteries. There is nothing more frustrating to know that you have a camera but no power! It is like a limp ****!

Miu Miu's thoughts.

If you have been following this blog, the chances are that you own a DSLR camera and are new in photography. I have been in this position before and I know the problems too. In fact I am still learning. In most cases people find the manual too technical and boring to read. But it is a place to know the bits and pieces of your camera. Articles in the internet are either too difficult or inadequate. I hope my writing is a bridge between the two extremes.

Most people buy a PnS (point and shoot) camera for easy usage. Some of the higher ends PnS in the market are now equivalent to a good basic entry level DSLR. It is a shame most user will only use the automatic mode. So if you are going to use the auto mode exclusively in your DSLR, then I suggest you buy a PnS. For a start it is cheaper, lighter and less bulky.

Buying a DSLR does not just end there. As your interest and skills grow you will start to acquire bags, tripods, filters, batteries, external flash, memory cards and etc. Very easily we get sucked into the belief that if we get a better piece of equipment, our photograph will be better.

1 Read up on photography as much as possible. You will learn something new.

2 Remember the best camera in the world is the one you are holding. So get to know the in and out of it.

3 The camera is just equipment. You are the person that takes the picture. So the more you shoot the better you become.

4 Get a mentor, someone with experience who can guide you.

5 Learn to use a good photo editing software. Remember all cameras have limitations. The software will help you overcome some of these.

6 Enjoy photography. It gives you pleasure. Winning prizes and awards are just recognitions. Do not let them cloud your objective i.e. the enjoyment.

My Thoughts

Why do I take phototgraphs?

• I enjoy it and it gives me pleasure.
• Make beautiful and interesting picture no matter what subject.
• Practice my photographic skills so that I may improve
• Because I am good at it and I want people to enjoy it too.

What do I expect from my viewer?

• Intelligent and critical comments. 
• An emotional respond.
• Undivided attention when looking at my pictures.

The Camera and Eye.

Some knowledge of the eye will give a better understanding of the camera.

The Eye.

• Basically the human eye is an orb with a dark interior. To enable the eye to see, reflected lights must enter the eye. At the back of the eye is the Retina. The Retina is light sensitive and contains different types of cells.  One type of cells can distinguish shapes and another colours.  The shapes and colours make an image which is then transferred from the Retina to the brain via the optic nerves. This make you 'SEE'.

• Lights enter the eye through an opening, the Cornea. Behind the Cornea there is a transparent lens. The ancillary muscles around the lens flex and relax changing the lens shape causing the focal length to vary.  Different focal lengths bring different objects in different distance into focus.  This way you see every object clearly whether they are near or far.

• In between the Cornea and the lens there is a circular flap with a round opening in the center. The flap is the Iris and the opening, the Pupil. The Iris is the coloured part of your eye. This is the reason why you have brown eyes and your Mat Salleh (Westerners) friends are blue. The Pupil  always look black because it shows the dark interior. The Pupil reacts instantly to lights. When the outside is very bright, the Iris opens up and this make the Pupil (the hole) very small preventing light from entering. So when it is dark outside, the Iris will close,  the Pupil dilates to allow more lights to enter.

The Camera

1. The camera is an electro-mechanical device that imitates the human eye.

2. The camera has a black chamber.  The dark interior prevents admitted lights from escaping.

2. The camera lens mount (the hole in the front of the camera) is the Cornea of the eye. This is where directed lights enter the camera. If you use a DSLR, (digital single-lens reflex) the lens mount are made in such a way that it can only receive proprietary lenses.  In other words the camera and the lens mount must be compatible in order to connect.   This opening is a very sensitive part of the camera.  It houses the electrical connections between the camera body and the lens. The connections are usually plated in gold. You can see them as little golden dots located on the rim of the mount. The corresponding connectors are located at the back of your lens. Once properly connected, the camera is able to send electrical impulses telling  the lens what to do.e.g. shorten or lengthen the barrel (focusing).

3. Unlike the human eye, the camera lens is located in front of the Cornea (lens mount). The lens is actually a collection of optical glasses housed in a cylindrical barrel. The lens barrel is usually inscribed with the focal length (mm) of the lens e.g. 50mm or 18-55mm. Do not worry about these numbers.  Explanation later.

4. At the back of the lens there is a series of blades that form a diaphragm. This is equivalent to the Iris in the human eye.  The diaphragm size control the size of the hole formed in the center.  This hole is the same as the Pupil in the human eye.  In Photography this hole is the Aperture.  The aperture setting is based on a standard. (more of the Aperture later).

5. The sensor (Retina) of the camera is located inside and back of the camera. Like the retina it captures external reflected lights and then formed the image before storing it in the memory card. Different camera models and brands use different type (proprietory) of sensors e.g CMOS (Canon),   Of course it goes without saying the more expensive camera utilises a bigger and better sensor.

6. There is an additional mechanism in a camera called the Shutter.   It functions exactly like the window  shutter slates.  In a camera the slates are place closed and in front of the sensor.  When you clicked on the shutter release button  to take a picture, the slates open allowing the reflected lights to reach the sensor.  In a camera you can control how long the shutter remains open.  This is the shutter speed and it is noted in seconds or a fraction of it (sec) e.g. 1/30, 1/60 etc.

Another important component in a digital camera is the microprocessor.  The Canon 40D utilises the DIGIC III image processor (more of this later).  Now that you have some insight into the camera you will appreciate it as a marvelous piece of technology!

The Four Noble Truths.

Do you know the four noble truths in photography?

1. A camera can only take a picture when there is light. Light must fall on the object, which is then reflected into the camera so that 'image of the object' is ‘seen’ by the camera. When light enters a camera we call it 'an exposure'. So no light means no picture.

2. Too much light reflected from the object will result in a 'too bright' picture. Such picture has many bright and white patches when printed. Such picture has many missing details. This make bad picture. In photography we call this 'overexposed'. So too much light makes bad picture.

3. Likewise too little light makes very dark picture. Such picture when printed has many dark and black patches. Like overexposed picture, this picture also has many missing details. We called this 'underexposed'. So too little light makes bad picture too.

4. Therefore a good photograph must have the correct amount of light entering the camera.

And every photographer will tell you their own version of what constitute a good exposure.

On the other side of the coin.

Sometimes a photographer will deliberately underexpose a picture to give it an edgy mood. This kind of picture is called a 'low key' picture. And on the opposite side a photographer will overexpose a picture for a 'high key' effect. These deliberate actions are used for 'aesthetic' purposes.

Miu Miu's first oracle

Photography has never been more popular and accessible. In an instant a hand phone becomes a camera (just like Transformer?). I say, some of these pictures are really good too. But can you be a serious photographer using a mobile phone camera? Well there is really no hard and fast rules in this matter. I guess it is people perceptions. It is like a surgeon cutting a patient with a kitchen knife.

I guess a good picture will always be a good picture, no? Someone said the best camera in the world is the one you are holding. That is why I always bring along my PnS (point and shoot) with the DSLR. The important thing is to get your shot. The quality of course is a different matter la.

Why do I start this blog? Well lately many friends have been asking questions about camera and photography. Guess I am saying the right things because they came back and ask some more!

Seriously there is really no two ways about getting better skills.

1. Read up as much as you can. There are thousands of photography articles in the net. Since the net is so accessible there is really no excuse.

2. Get to know people with the same passion. Pick each other brain. The more passionate they are the more willing they want to share. It’s just like golf, asks Tiger Wood about his stick and he will have plenty to tell!

3. And if you really like photography you will shoot any thing. Be it your fingers and toes! And believe me, the more you shoot the better you become. (Actually the more you shoot the more familiar you get with your camera. With familiarity you have better control and chances are you get better pictures).

4. I do not know about you but photography for me is something to enjoy, not something I need to study and pass examination. I know you can take a degree in this but for the most of us it is just play. And PLAY = FUN. Although sometimes you cannot escape the technicalities (after all it is science) but honestly the less of it the better! Why complicate things, right?

5. The only thing that you cannot learn is the ability to see things with your ‘eye’ (I do not mean the two peepers on your face). This, I am afraid is impossible to explain. Some people just have this ability to capture aesthetic in a visual form. Make sense? So look at as many photographs as possible and see how others people interpret their ideas. If you get inspired then go out and shoot some pictures!

Remember I am not a professional photography just a regular bloke who like fiddling with the camera and messing with digital imaging. I started with a Canon 350D in 2006 and is now using a 40D. Of course I would like to own a better camera (a common illness that afflicts most people in photography) but it is always the same old story. No money lah. Since I have not made any money selling any of my images, you can gauge how good I am. Well it will not stop me from fantasizing that one day I shall be the next Annie Leibovitz, just like my secret ambition of being the next American top male model!

So let’s get this Oracle going, ask and I may just reveal the answers and even some secrets to you.