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Post by tigerlily on Jun 23, 2007 2:17:13 GMT
I have two digital cameras, one is a point and shoot Kodak Easyshare DX4300 which is a few years old now but takes decent snapshots and can produce some very good pictures in the right conditions.
I also have a Fuji Finepix F9500, a digital SLR which is sanguineous complicated and has a manual you could choke a donkey with. I know how to use maybe one-tenth of the features that it has and am trying to learn more.
Downside of the Fuji is that the lens body is fixed to the camera, so I can't take it off and fit a telescopic lens or macro lens or anything like that.
What it does have is the ability to screw onto the barrel of the fixed lens a variety of filters and adaptors that allow various effects to be obtained, although not in my experience so successfully as with other cameras where the whole lens assembly can be changed.
My other half has an Olympus digital SLR which is also complicated, but is extremely good and has the ability to change lenses. I couldn't tell you which model, but it is fairly well-specced.
As far as shot composition goes, Choppy has posted about the rule of thirds, something well worth considering. Obvious things I could add would be along the lines of making sure someone isn't doing something silly in the background if photographing people (always hard at TOG dos), there are no telegraph poles growing from heads and so on.
the only way to really learn is to go out and take pictures. Even the professionals I know will tell you that for every hundred shots you take, there will if you are lucky be perhaps five great shots, one truly outstanding shot and some useable shots, with probably 60-70% being lesser quality down to unuseable.
It's trial and error.
Photoshop elements, or the full package, or other photo tweaking software can help correct common errors but will never compensate for overexposure or blurred shots.
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Post by paul Zernikazof on Jun 23, 2007 8:57:41 GMT
It looks as if the thread has started already so I will sticky this one and Choppys tips thread and see how these two go Please feel free to add tech tips, descriptions of what you use and recommendations for equipment to the appropriate thread.
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Post by paul Zernikazof on Jun 23, 2007 9:21:00 GMT
OOps I really am a Tog I forgot to add to this thread the equipment I use.
I have two Nikon Coolpix 4600 digitals at 4.6 Megapixels and an Olympus 2100 superzoom which is a few years old having only 2.1 Mp but the (then) largest optical zoom of any digital camera at (10x). Although only 2.1 Mp I have succesfully blown up pictures to 18" X 12" for display. The only downside is that it eats batteries due to having two digital displays. The viewfinder display is a minature lcd screen as well as the usual one on the back of the camera. I think this was done to give a true picture of what the lens was seeing, in the viewfinder.
Lastly I also still use my Canon EOS 35mm with a couple of zoom lenses. One day when funds allow I will replace this with an EOS digital.
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Post by paul Zernikazof on Jun 23, 2007 10:03:14 GMT
Just a suggestion folks can we keep this thread for descriptions, recommendations of equipment and use the Tips thread for ideas on picture taking It may be a little less confusing that way.
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Post by ivy noidea on Jun 23, 2007 10:11:43 GMT
It may be a little less confusing that way. HOW many years have you been here?
Have you learned nothing?
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Post by paul Zernikazof on Jun 23, 2007 12:59:44 GMT
It may be a little less confusing that way. HOW many years have you been here?
Have you learned nothing? I was careful to use the word 'may' Ivy I am aware that I am dealing with Togs here ;D
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Post by Leigh Djonn on Jun 23, 2007 15:45:36 GMT
Higher optical zoom is better than more pixels. I know that the camera manufacturers know this, I do wish that they'd put more on the cheaper end of the market.
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Post by sussexgirl on Jun 23, 2007 17:56:22 GMT
What photosharing website do folks use? Are they password protected and what are their pros and cons? Hope this is in the right section of the boards
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Post by carlott on Jun 23, 2007 18:11:22 GMT
What photosharing website do folks use? Are they password protected and what are their pros and cons? Hope this is in the right section of the boards I have PM'd you - it is easier.
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Post by Glen B Ogle on Jun 24, 2007 19:56:54 GMT
I use a Minolta Dimage Z5 as my main camera. 12x Optical Zoom and mechanical Image Stabiliser were the main reasons for buying it! It's *only* 5Mp but I honestly didn't see the need for more.
Based on a requirement for 300dpi printing (generally regarded as high publication quality) even 5Mp gives over 8x6 inch prints. In reality I have printed a 3Mp picture from my previous camera at A1 size (actually approx. 800x600mm) and it was perfectly acceptable as a poster type picture.
In fact one often forgotten fact is that typically, except on the high end cameras, the CCD that actually takes the photo hasn't got any bigger with the increasing number of Pixels. The result of this is that on an 8Mp camera there is only half as much light falling on each pixel as with a 4Mp camera, thus more amplification is needed reducing image quality.
Glen
PS No apology for the mixed measurements above - I'm a child of the sixties!
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Post by Whitbywoof on Jun 30, 2007 9:33:12 GMT
I use a Minolta Dimage Z5 It's *only* 5Mp but I honestly didn't see the need for more. If you want to sell your photos commercially to an organisation such as Photos.com or a card/poster company, they require a minimum of 10mpx. If I'd known that last year, I'd have bought the Nikon D80 instead of the D50.
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Post by Glen B Ogle on Jun 30, 2007 10:54:46 GMT
Valid point about cards & posters - my commercial sales have been for magazine use.
As it'sonly a hobby really, and most of my pics are taken for talk illustration where the projector is the limiting factor, I'm quite happy with 5Mp!
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Post by michaelesterol on Jul 9, 2007 16:45:38 GMT
My SLR days went with Kodachrome 25.
I only use a Canon Powershot A620 these days. I still own a Nikon f701 body and some Pentax wide angle lenses, but I just don't have the inclination to get more slides ... especially since I no longer have a working projector.
I keep having wet dreams about the Leica M8, but I'm fooling nobody ! The Canon EOS 400 keeps giving me dirty looks that I just may not resist for much longer.
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Post by paul Zernikazof on Jul 9, 2007 21:14:34 GMT
My SLR days went with Kodachrome 25. I only use a Canon Powershot A620 these days. I still own a Nikon f701 body and some Pentax wide angle lenses, but I just don't have the inclination to get more slides ... especially since I no longer have a working projector. I keep having wet dreams about the Leica M8, but I'm fooling nobody ! The Canon EOS 400 keeps giving me dirty looks that I just may not resist for much longer. The EOS 400D is on my wish list I have used a friends one and found it great. It is also one of the fastest digital SLR's around with regard to shutter lag time.
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Post by territalks on Jul 13, 2007 13:41:52 GMT
Hi All My Camera is a Kodak Easy Share C310. I have tunnel vision only in one eye but I can take pictures quite successfully. I am just finding it hard to download the right software (JohnZ) is manfully helping me! Sorry John not got it right yet! Love TT xxxx
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Post by territalks on Jul 13, 2007 13:43:58 GMT
OOPS SORRY PAUL!!!! I don't know why I called you John! Please forgive me! Humbly creep creep yours TT xxxx
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Post by meltemi on Aug 15, 2007 12:51:23 GMT
Greetings One & All Earlier back-breaking serious Minolta SP500 with a range of some 6 lenses, filters, flash guns & a donkey to carry (sorry the Memsahib) the lot was extended by a pocket sized, then top of the APS, Ixus, we snapped everywhere. Then last year a memsahib revolt co-incided with my 60th Trans-Canadian Odyssey a Nikon Coolpix F3 was presented by her,"get used to this, Im not loosing your films or doing your carrying". No wasted prints etc. A computer & Canon Pixma600 printer quality prints up to A4 a doddle.
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Post by Dancin' Girl on Aug 23, 2007 19:45:32 GMT
We use Picasa (from Google). It is fantastic and very easy to use, including setting up web albums and ordering prints etc. Allows the user to keep everything in a very orderly fashion and you can do loads with the editing side. We're well pleased.
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Post by paul Zernikazof on Sept 18, 2007 22:23:14 GMT
Greetings One & All Earlier back-breaking serious Minolta SP500 with a range of some 6 lenses, filters, flash guns & a donkey to carry (sorry the Memsahib) the lot was extended by a pocket sized, then top of the APS, Ixus, we snapped everywhere. Then last year a memsahib revolt co-incided with my 60th Trans-Canadian Odyssey a Nikon Coolpix F3 was presented by her,"get used to this, Im not loosing your films or doing your carrying". No wasted prints etc. A computer & Canon Pixma600 printer quality prints up to A4 a doddle. I love the Canon pixma printer I have an IP4000 it does great quality prints and I also use it to print direct on to dvds instead of sticking labels on them.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 23, 2007 8:48:59 GMT
I've got a Pentax P30 35mm SLR (about 25 years old and metal bodied (rare)) and a Pentax DL2 35mm DLSR. Lenses are 18-55mm and 50-200mm.
I'm looking for the sigma 170-500mm but there are none in the UK and Sigma don't want to produce any until they have enough orders. If anyone out there has one of these or knows where there is one gathering dust on a shelf (Pentax is a bit of a niche market now, it seems) then please let me know!!
I use PSE4 for editing/retouching and unless the pictures are for general sharing always shoot in RAW format.
I've got an Epson R240 photo printer for general bits and a very good relationship with a lab technician in a Jessops branch for anything special.
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