Photography Basics 2: DSLR selection

Up till now, if you notice i have yet to mention anything regarding the camera selection. I shall cover in this topic.

With the advance technology nowadays, the gap between various models of dslr is narrowing. Unless you wanna print out your photos in really GIANT size, you will not need cameras with over 16 megapixels!

When selecting a dslr, i will like to share with you some of the tips. You need to know the following:

1) What sort of photography you like?

If you like sports in particular like i do, you need to consider the fps i.e. frames per second. The higher the fps, the more likely you are going to get that expression on the sportman's face in milliseconds!

2) Noise level at high ISO

Certain brand of camera is particular good at this. For example, Canon dslr tends to perform better at high ISO comparing to other brands. Having said that, this gap is dimishing with newer models of cameras like Nikon D3 etc.

3) What is the largest size of print you need?

As i mentioned above, i will say all the dslr is capble of giving quality prints up to A3 sizes. Unless you are into advertising and related industries, the extra megapixels is not necessary.

4) Note the size of the sensor used in the dslr!

More megapixels do not necessarily mean good! This is a misconception that is imprinted via advertising nowadays. You will need to take note of the size of the sensor in the dslr. Every dslr has a sensor size giving you a crop factor of 1, 1.3, 1.5, 1.6, 2.0 etc. The bigger this crop factor, the smaller the sensor! When we have more megapixels in a small sensor, it means more noise and your picture quality will be degraded! Do not fall into this trap!

5) Weight

One of the more important factor to consider when you are going for travelling. I am currently using a Canon 1D Mk2N. Wow, this camera suits my needs very well, but when comes to travelling.... It weighs like a brick! I am not joking! You will appreciate a smaller camera during travelling!

6) Many picture modes..

To me, i find the modes such as landscape, portrait, fireworks etc a kind of gimmick. Really, if you are going to use a dslr, you will want to explore to obtain the photos. These picture modes are simply pre program into cameras so that your photos will look good. However, you will lose the joy of experimenting! Can be frustrating in experimenting at times. I know, but keep trying!

Most IMPORTANT tip!

Always search online for feedback and reviews on the camera you wan. Try them out in the shops and see if you like the 'feel' of it. Ultimately, you are going to use it. Dun be afraid to bring a memory card such as a CF or SD card so that the images you shot at the shop can be viewed in your computer. Many times, the images look so good on the camera LCD, but when you view it on your PC, its not to your liking!

Photography Basics 1: Techie terms

Well, in this article, i will try to unravel some of the common terms used in photography. Probably if you are using the point and shoot camera, you will not be able to appreciate these terms as much. However, once you are considering in a dslr, these terms are a MUST to understand to allow you to develop further!


Aperture

"Is a hole or an opening through which light is admitted." - Courtesy of Wikipedia

Simply, an aperture is a something analogous to the pupil of our eyes.

Our pupil dilates (enlarge) when we are entering into a dark room. Why? So that more light is able to enter and we can see better in the dark! Similiar, when we leave a cinema, our pupil constrict (becomes smaller) so that excessive light does not enter our eye!

Easy right? Indeed, human is the one who invents the camera. Naturally the camera will mimic the way we behave!


Courtesy of Wikipedia


F-stop refers to the aperture of a lens. Take note, the smaller the F stop, the bigger is the aperture size! A smaller F stop e.g. f1.4 also means that the background of your photo will be blurrer as compared to a bigger F stop e.g. f22. This is because at f1.4, we have a shallow depth of field whereas at f22, we have a deeper depth of view.

F stops are as follows: f16.0, f11.0, f8.0, f5.6, f4.0, f2.8, f2.0, f1.4 and so on. Each 'jump' in F stop is equivalent to a factor of 2 change in light intensity i.e. doubles in this order!




Shutter speed

"Is the length of time a shutter is open" - Courtesy of Wikipedia

Shutter speed is in seconds. The faster the shutter speed, the higher probability of 'freezing' an object in motion. The slower the shutter speed, you can create the 'silky' texture of flowing water!

Shutter speeds are as follows: 1/1000s, 1/500s, 1/250s, 1/125s, 1/60s, 1/30s, 1/15s, 1/8s, 1/4s, 1/2s, 1s and so on. Each 'jump' in shutter speed is equivalent to a factor of 2 change in light intensity i.e. doubles in this order!

Hey, I notice that every 'jump' in F stop or shutter speed, we will have the same change in light intensity! Hmmm.. any relationship between these 2 terms? Yes, there is a relationship between these 2 terms. But i will hold the explanation till i explain the last technical term. :P




ISO speed

This essentially refers to the sensitivty of the camera to light. In old days when films are used in camera, each film has its own ISO speed.

The higher the ISO speed, the more sensitive is the camera to light. However the noisier the image will become also. The lower the ISO speed, the less sensitive is the camera to light. But the image will be cleaner.

ISO speed are as follows: 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200. Each 'jump' in ISO speed is equivalent to a factor of 2 change in light intensity i.e. doubles in this order!



Exposure

Photography is all about light.... How well exposed is the photo. A great photo has the correct elements of aperture, shutter speed and ISO.

In short E = A . S . I

where E = Exposure
A = Aperture
S = Shutter speed
I = ISO speed

Hence, by changing each term in the above equation, we can 'manipulate' the photo! Cool right?

Rem i promised to explain the relationship between aperture and shutter speed above?

E.g. Assuming i have the same ISO speed, if i am using an aperture size of f2.8 and shutter speed of 1/125s, i can use an aperture size of f2.0 (aperture size doubles) and shutter speed of 1/250s (becomes twice shorter) to obtain an equally exposed photo!

It takes some time to 'sink' this knowledge in, but once you master it, you are already halfway to success!

Photography experience Part 2: Breaking point

2 years after using my compact canon ixus camera, came a breaking point... That time i was waiting for a new job... kinda bored at home without much to do. Happened to walk pass some camera shops in Sim Lim and Peninisula plaza. That's when i saw digital slr...

Wow, this camera looks cool ya! Like professional leh! If i can get one, how nice will it be? I was so amazed by the dslr, that i went home and did some research on it. I wondered to myself, are those photos that look sooo beautiful online taken by such camera? If i own one, i can get take those beautiful photos right? That was my thinking at that point....

For those who are keen in buying a dslr, i have the following advice for you:
- Is your compact no longer able to fulfil your photography needs?
- Do you mind lugging a bulkier camera with a couple of lens all the time?
- Dslr = $$$ to be spent. Are you willing to part with your $$$?
- Are you able to spend time reading up to improve on photography skills after a photo is taken?

If you hesitate in any of the points above, i suggest you take a step back to review. Using a dslr involves time, money and more importantly effort on an individual to achieve those stunning photos online. Once you master the art, the satisfaction is tremendous!

I got my first dslr Canon 350D sometime back in June 2004. Initial stage was really bad....all the controls appeared so new to me.... What is P, AV, TV modes? Huh ISO? What is aperture, shutter speed, exposure??? Probably i was spolit by my compact camera, just click and shoot. A dslr is more than that... In my next article, i will try to explain these common terms in simple words. So stay tuned!