to this. I would like to post some questions. first of all the filters they have for the lense, do they make a big difference. one is ultraviolet and the other polarized. the polarized one looks like a sunglass to me so what does that do to your pictures? also being that i am an amateur, which lense should i buy first, which do you experts use the most. my guess was the zoom, but i thought i should ask first. the guy at the store didnt have alot of answers.any other tips are greatly appreciated. is there any good books to help me. I bought adobe photo elements also, now i guess it's time to test drive it. manual or auto for the amateur?
2007-03-01 20:24:05 · 3 answers · asked by QUETZAL 1 in Consumer Electronics ➔ Cameras
I would read "The Digital Photography Book" by Scott Kelby's, its a wonderfully easy book to read, too bad its too short. I wanted to read on. =) Ok polarized filters will give your pictures more color contrased so a sky will look darker blue. It also knocks down you speed 2 stops so never use a polarizing filter for action shots. Polarizing filters also cut down on sun reflection so if your taking a picture on a lake the suns reflection will be dramatically reduced. I just keep a UV filter on all my lenses at all times just becuase it is an extra protection from dust, bumbs, and falls. It cheaper to replace a filter than a $300 lens. I would recommond using the lens kit for a while till you learn your camera and what your going to use it for. I have two lenses for my XTi. I have a 70-200mm f/2.8 L lens for sport and low light shots. I have a 24-105mm f/4 L lens for my everyday walk around lens. Both are magicific lenses but I dont think you have $2000+ to swing on lenses. I would recommond at least saving up for one L lens from Canon. They are extremely high quality, and most are weather sealed (even though the XTi isnt so what ever) But if you cant swing $1200 for a lens, I would recommond the 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5 lens. Its a good lens, its just as slow as the lens kit but it has more range. Practice using your XTi and youll learn it from front to back in a few weeks.
Just words of wisdom, dont cheap out on your lens. Thats why i got all L lens from Canon because they are supreme quality over the comsumer lens that Canon sells. I left a lil section that you can read to learn your camer a little bit.
A few basics:
Shutter Speed: this controls how fast or slow a shutter opens to allow light onto the sensor. Faster the shutter speed, ex. 1/2000, the less light is allowed in and freezes a subject in an imagine. Slow the shutter speed, 1/4, the more light is allowed in but it also will cause either a camera blur or a subject blur. However this may be a good touch to your imagine if you so desire it. Use a tripod for anything slower than 1/8.
ISO: This boosts the sensitivty of the sensor which enables the photographer to take brighter pictures at a higher shutter speed. This is great for sport shots in low light conditions so that you do not have to sacrifice subject and camera blur on your imagine. But this creates noise on the picture and the higher you go the more noise there will be on the picture. Some cameras handle ISO better than others.
Exposure: How bright or how dim the camera makes the picture
Ampature: This is how big or small the hole is in the lens is. The lower the ampature, the faster the lens is and the smaller the hole is (ex. f/1-2.8) this give a narrower field of vision, this blurs the back round. The larger the amapture the larger the hole is and the deeper the field of vision it is. (3-infinity just how large the lens can get)
Photography is the art of capturing a moment and preserving it in a picture. Photography can be as basic as just getting a camera and taking a picture of a rock. There are really no such thing as a good picture, thats based on opinion. As a photographer myself I take pictures of different objects and try to present a mood, feeling, story. I take pictures that only I may think is beautiful and sometimes I take things that other people like as well. As you become more advance with photography you can take pictures of a plant and give it life by changing different settings on your camera and other things. As you become more advance you can use photoshop but I like sticking with "natural" shots (striaght for the camera, maybe just increase the brightness or contrast but nothign else)
Another thing photography does cost you money. How much? As little as $150. You do not need a fancy camera to be in photography. But if you are looking to be a serious photographer you may want to look into an SLR, Single Lens Reflex.
Why? SLRs have larger sensor. The larger the sensor the better. The larger sensors take in more light or data. Which allows better picture quality. But if the sensor sucks, thats a different story. Canon & Nikon are very popular because they have been very reliable cameras.
MP mean NOTHING. Do NOT buy a camera based on megapixels (MP). No matter how many MP it has doesnt mean its better. For example, a P&S camera vs a SLR. The P&S has 10MP while the SLR has 8MP. This doesnt make the P&S better than the SLR because the SLR has a better sensor than the P&S which results in better picture quality.
Lens. Lens are almost as or even equal to the quality of the cameras sensors. If the lens suck then the picture quality is going to suck no matter how superior the sensor is. Invest money in lens.
External Flash Units. Invest money in that for indoor and portrait shots. Flash units reach a lot farther than the bulit in flash of any camera. Also they provide more custom shots by bouncing the light off the ceiling or a wall this will give you not as harsh of a glare on your subjects imagine. This is not required however.
Get a large memory card if you are a serious photographer. I easily take 400+ pictures when I go out to like Disneyland or to a family party. Professionals take over 1000 for one project.
There are many different types of styles, Wildlife, land scape, sports, portrait, studio, marco, etc. Get a camera that will best suit your needs. Wildlife will require at least a telescope lens which is extremely expensive. landscape you will need a wide-angle len which are relatively cheap but still over $200+. Sports you will need a lens that are extremely fast, you need a lens that goes lower than f/3. Usually a prime len only goes below f/3 but those are usually at the height of a companies lens. 50mm prime len will be good for basketball style games. Also a camera that takes pictures at a high FPS (Frames Per Second) and an AI Servo (Canon's Name for it) this changes exposure, ampeture as you move the camera. Portrait you do not need a camera that has a high FPS rate or extremely expensive lens. Usually portrait shots have a "glow" like in some wedding pictures. But you can have sharp portiat shots too but its depending on how you feel on it. Macro is taking a close up on a subject like a bug or a flower. You will need a marco len 100mm or smaller or you can be cheap like me an just use any lens for it =).
Most importantly... The picture is usually YOUR fault on an SLR. Do not blame the camera for bad pictures. Read reviews on a camera before you buy. Canon is known for have a bit of a a problem with low light situations but once you learn how to use the camera you dont have that problem any more. Go to dpreview.com and research different cameras. They are exteremly reliable. Like most anything, practice, practice, practice. You will never learn your camera if you never practice. And please... Read your manuel front and back... Itll save you a lot of trouble on the field if you dont like how something is going.
2007-03-01 20:49:05 · answer #1 · answered by Koko 4 · 5⤊ 0⤋
Filters: - the ultra violet is really little more than protection for the front element of your lens, but it will make a picture a little clearer if there is atmospheric haze. Polarizing. This is to remove unwanted reflections, and to darken sunny skies to make them really deep blue. You can remove all refections from water, which can give an unnatural effect. Also useful for removing reflections from shop windows. The filter will turn - you can observe through your lens the effect it is having.
Lens. You say 'the zoom' but don't say which one. Most beginners find it convenient to start with two - 28-80 and 75-200 (300) (35mm equivalent). You can buy 'super zooms' to fir your camera from independent makers like Sigma, Tokina and Tamron. One of these may be more convenient - you aren't always taking the lens off and letting dust on to the sensor. The quality of these independents is up there with marque lenses.
Books. Just browse a bookstore or Amazon and see what you fancy. There are many beginners books available.
Photo Shop Elements. Good buy. What do you mean 'manual or auto'? If it's in respect to tweaking your pics, manual every time, even for a raw amateur. The so called 'auto fixes' shouldn't ever be used
2007-03-01 20:40:08 · answer #2 · answered by rdenig_male 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Koko, why would she buy a book when you have just written one for her? Great answer. I think it's funny that they have a link to a Nikon ad on your flickr page. :-)
2007-03-02 16:12:12 · answer #3 · answered by Picture Taker 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋