Here are some of the most popular lenses around:
This is one of Canon's least expensive lenses, which is why it is so popular. It's wide open, fast, f/1.8 aperture is handy for utilizing the selective focus technique because of the very shallow depth-of-field (DOF) the lens can produce. The wide aperture is also useful when you don't have a lot of light available. Sharpest focus is obtained by using intermediate apertures, f/4 to about f/11.
Care must be taken with shallow DOF though because the DOF can get very thin, and you have to remember that the plane of focus is always parallel to the plane of the image sensor. If you want both of someone's eyes in focus in a portrait,
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
How Do I Use My Digital SLR's Auto Focus? Part-2
Most digital SLR's will offer some auto focus mode options, like single focus, continuous focus, and that trusty old stand-by - manual focus.
They also offer some focus area modes that use just the one focus point you have selected or some other focus area mode that help keep things in focus in your photos.
Single Servo Focus
The most commonly used focus mode is Single focus. (Nikon - AF-S, Canon - One Shot AF)
Use single focus when you are making photographs of subjects that aren't moving.
When the shutter is pressed halfway the camera focuses, turns on an in-focus indicator in the viewfinder, and then locks the focus until the shutter is released, or until the shutter button is returned to it's normal position.
That's so
They also offer some focus area modes that use just the one focus point you have selected or some other focus area mode that help keep things in focus in your photos.
Auto Focus Modes
Single Servo Focus
The most commonly used focus mode is Single focus. (Nikon - AF-S, Canon - One Shot AF)
Use single focus when you are making photographs of subjects that aren't moving.
When the shutter is pressed halfway the camera focuses, turns on an in-focus indicator in the viewfinder, and then locks the focus until the shutter is released, or until the shutter button is returned to it's normal position.
That's so
Saturday, January 8, 2011
How Do I use My Auto Focus? Part-1
There is a lot to cover when explaining auto focus, so it will take 2 installments to cover it all.
Auto Focus From The Beginning
The first auto focus SLR for general sale was released in 1978. That camera, the Polaroid SX-70 Sonar OneStep, used an active auto focusing system that sent out sound waves. Today's digital SLR's use a passive system that takes advantage of light coming in through the lens.
So, auto focus sure isn't anything new, having been around for 30+ years now.
How Does My Digital SLR Auto Focus?
It’s called SIR TTL passive phase detection - (Secondary Image Registration - SIR, Through The Lens - TTL).
It’s a pretty simple system actually. It’s used by most dSLR cameras today for that reason.
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| Wikipedia - GNU Free Documentation License |
Here is how it works:
Light enters the lens and is reflected by the main mirror, but the main mirror (1.) is only 50% reflective.
Half of the light goes up through the pentaprism/pentamirror (4.) and to the viewfinder eyepiece (5.).
Thursday, January 6, 2011
How to Get Sharply Focused Images
If the subjects in your pictures aren't sharply focused they won't look very good. They'll be missing one of the qualities that makes a photo an image and not just a snapshot.
Here are some things you can do to get tack sharp images. It's a combination of technique and equipment use, rather than just one thing.
You'll hear many people say it's not the equipment, it's the photographer. Well, yes and no. Photography is one of the few pursuits where equipment can make a pretty big difference and we'll look at equipment first.
There are some aspects of photography that if you want to get pro results, you have to use the same equipment the pros use. You can always rent instead of buying if your need is short term, or your photography equipment budget is tight.
Here are some things you can do to get tack sharp images. It's a combination of technique and equipment use, rather than just one thing.
It's the Photographer
You'll hear many people say it's not the equipment, it's the photographer. Well, yes and no. Photography is one of the few pursuits where equipment can make a pretty big difference and we'll look at equipment first.
There are some aspects of photography that if you want to get pro results, you have to use the same equipment the pros use. You can always rent instead of buying if your need is short term, or your photography equipment budget is tight.
Sunday, December 26, 2010
LENS INFO
Lens Lingo
One of the things new photographers grapple with is lens lingo.
What do all those numbers and abbreviations mean?
We’ll start with the kind of lens, or lenses, that likely came with your dSLR.
Note: Each camera maker has their own lens mount design. Nikon lenses (F-mount) cannot be directly mounted on Pentax cameras (K- mount). However, someone may make an adapter that allows such a mash up.
Two Lens Types
There are 2 lens types:
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Digital SLR Camera Settings
More people than ever before are using digital SLR cameras.
When film was the primary medium people used to make photos, you didn't get to see your photos until they were printed. If you didn't do your own darkroom processing, you relied on the photo lab to develop the negatives and make the prints for you.
Each camera has many settings, and most are covered in each camera's users manual, but 2 of the more important, somewhat esoteric settings, are worth taking a closer look at.
When film was the primary medium people used to make photos, you didn't get to see your photos until they were printed. If you didn't do your own darkroom processing, you relied on the photo lab to develop the negatives and make the prints for you.
Now, dSLR photographers can see a small version of their photo right on the camera, but if they want those photos to display nicely on a computer monitor, somewhere online, on some other digital device or have it printed, there are choices about camera settings that need to be made. Those choices can have a big impact on how sweet your photos look and how much editing you can do to them and still have them look nice.
Each camera has many settings, and most are covered in each camera's users manual, but 2 of the more important, somewhat esoteric settings, are worth taking a closer look at.
Friday, July 2, 2010
Recommended Reading - Technical
The technical aspects of photography seem daunting to a lot of new photographers. From a technical viewpoint the basics are really rather simple and can be conveyed without much muss or fuss.
One of the best at doing that is Bryan Peterson. Bryan is a successful professional photographer that also has a gift for explaining technical aspects of photography in easy to understand ways. I recommend three of Bryan's inexpensive, yet information packed books:
One of the best at doing that is Bryan Peterson. Bryan is a successful professional photographer that also has a gift for explaining technical aspects of photography in easy to understand ways. I recommend three of Bryan's inexpensive, yet information packed books:
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Recommended Reading - Composition
I have a couple of book shelves filled with various books I have read on the many different aspects of photography.
A lot of new photographers aren't aware of many of those books so I decided it would be helpful to let people know about them.
My book collection covers several different aspects of photography:
A lot of new photographers aren't aware of many of those books so I decided it would be helpful to let people know about them.
My book collection covers several different aspects of photography:
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