PhillyKev 0 #1 January 31, 2003 I've never really been one to take lots of pictures. I like to travel a lot and go to a lot of interesting places and events. The problem is I end up either taking crappy pictures or never deal with the hassle of film developing, etc. Plus I've never had a decent camera. So, I just bought a digital camera to take with me to Perris and Vegas. Hoping to get started with photography as a hobby. Figure digital's the way to go because I can take lots of pics and just keep the ones that come out the best. Lots of really cool architecture around here to shoot. Anyway, did lots and lots of research, wanted something decent, that I could get good quality 4x6 prints out of, and small enough so that I'm not encumbered hauling it around, and cheap enough recognizing that this is my entry into the hobby. Got a Canon S330 (think it's ix330 in europe). Anyway, my question is, any good sites/books/resources out there for a beginner that will explain stuff such as ISO, shutter speed, aperture, yadda yadda yadda. The controls that I can set on the camera are: Aperture f/2.8 - f/4.7 shutter speed: 15-1/1500 ISO 50/100/200/400 Evaluative or spot metering Exposure compensation +/- 2.0EV 1/3 increments So, something that explains that stuff, because I have no clue what any of that crap does. I got a 256MB memory card though, so I'll have plenty of room for error. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhillyKev 0 #2 January 31, 2003 And reason I'm asking, I've found plenty of sites, but they're all either over my head, or really basic (like how to email pictures). So if anyone knows a good site with an easy introduction to the above controls I'd appreciate it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kevin922 0 #3 January 31, 2003 Did you try http://www.photo.net? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flyingferret 0 #4 January 31, 2003 It is all about math basically. You want the right amount of light getting to the film. you can do that in various combinations by adjusting different elements (namely shutter speed, and aperture or f-stop). By adjusting one, you change the balance of light and need to adjust the other. So why change them? So you can change things like blur, depth of field, etc. I could write it all out, but.... Excellent reference http://www.photo.net/learn/ http://www.webslr.com/ http://photo.box.sk/tip.php3 Once you learn it you will love it. You will seamlessly think...I want a sharp action, the background a little out of focus, it is x feet away, etc. Of course I shoot all manual, all the time. But I love it.-- All the flaming and trolls of wreck dot with a pretty GUI. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flyingferret 0 #5 January 31, 2003 A few more http://www.photonhead.com/exposure/exposure.htm a couple diagrams showing aperture and another simcam http://www.photonhead.com/exposure/simcam.htm-- All the flaming and trolls of wreck dot with a pretty GUI. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhillyKev 0 #6 January 31, 2003 Thanks guys. Exactly the kind of stuff I was looking for. Let me see if I have this right. I'm only going to deal with aperture and film speed though. Can't control shutter speed except in 1-15 sec. range. I'll worry about night shots later. Tell me if I have this right: Higher Fstop = smaller aperture, less light exposure, more focal range Lower ISO = less light sensitivity, finer grain, better color resolution So, ideally, putting aside artistic nuances, for best overall quality you'd want the slowest film speed with the smallest aperture (highest fstop). That's assuming there's enough light available to fully expose the picture. So if I started out with fstop 4.7, ISO 50 and take a pic, if it's too dark, try stepping up one or the other or both to get better exposure. The difference being if I lower the fstop, I lose focal range, and if I raise the film speed, I lose density. Do I have this stuff right? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lewmonst 0 #7 January 31, 2003 Quote Anyway, my question is, any good sites/books/resources out there for a beginner that will explain stuff such as ISO, shutter speed, aperture, yadda yadda yadda. The controls that I can set on the camera are: Aperture f/2.8 - f/4.7 shutter speed: 15-1/1500 ISO 50/100/200/400 Evaluative or spot metering Exposure compensation +/- 2.0EV 1/3 increments So, something that explains that stuff, because I have no clue what any of that crap does. I got a 256MB memory card though, so I'll have plenty of room for error. Hey Kev... I bet your camera will operate on all automatic settings, so you probably don't need to understand all those settings... But anyway, here's a couple quick answers to your questions... This is how I explain a camera to my students in my intro to photography class: The camera is just like your eye. Imagine you eyelid closed, and it opens and closes so you see a still image... ISO is the film speed, like how fast your brain/cornea can process the image Shutter Speed, how long the shutter is open to take the photo, is how fast your eyelid opens and closes Aperture, is how big the opening is, like your pupil. (When it's dark, you're pupil gets bigger to let more light in, and when it's bright outside, your pupil gets smaller to let less light in) Those are the three settings that determine the proper exposure (how much light to let in...) a little more info... The ISO is predetermined by what film you buy, but with a digital camera, it can change with each photo. You really don't need to worry about it. The only thing you might need to worry about it shutter speed. All three of those settings control the light, and the camera has a light meter built in to determine what the automatic settings should be... which is why when it's dark, your flash probably comes on automatically... You might want to worry about shutter speed becuase if it's too slow, you can get motion blur in your photos, whether your subject is moving, or your hand holding the camera is shaking... you'll want the shutter speed on a minimum of 60 (for 1/60th of a second) and for action/sports set it to 250 or higher (for 1/250th of a second to freeze the action)... hope that helps a little and didn't confuse you more... also, just a few tips in general... when you take photos of people, like snapshots, either take close-ups of their faces or full-body photos, but don't cut off their feet. that means the center of the frame might be their waist and not their head. also, generally have the sun behind you, so that it lights up your subject. and get closer. peacehttp://www.exitshot.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lewmonst 0 #8 January 31, 2003 yes, you got all that right.... basically, it's all about light. good light will give you better quality.http://www.exitshot.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhillyKev 0 #9 January 31, 2003 Cool, that helps as well, thanks. QuoteI bet your camera will operate on all automatic settings, so you probably don't need to understand all those settings*** Yep, it will. But when I shopped for a camera I chose one that will give me good quality on full auto, but also with some manual settings so I can start messing around and learning this stuff. I can't control shutter speed except over 1sec., so the things for me to play with are aperture and film speed. Want to play around with those and learn what settings give what results (for instance using a higher aperture for portraits to blur the background and make them the subject of the pic, etc.) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites flyingferret 0 #10 January 31, 2003 Yeah, you got it. I had not even thought of changing ISO, with a manual SLR, you obviously cannot do that. The most common changes are shutter speed and Fstop. Remember your rule of halves! Each f stop allows half as much light as the one before. And notice the shutter speed are in multiple as well? So, you can quikcly figure, "Okay, I know normal settings might be 1/250 and 5.8, well I want less depth of field, so I drop 1 fstop, say 4.0 and go up one shutter speed, 1/500. Shooting manual is FUN -- All the flaming and trolls of wreck dot with a pretty GUI. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites lewmonst 0 #11 February 1, 2003 Quote Yeah, you got it. I had not even thought of changing ISO, with a manual SLR, you obviously cannot do that. The most common changes are shutter speed and Fstop. Remember your rule of halves! Each f stop allows half as much light as the one before. And notice the shutter speed are in multiple as well? So, you can quikcly figure, "Okay, I know normal settings might be 1/250 and 5.8, well I want less depth of field, so I drop 1 fstop, say 4.0 and go up one shutter speed, 1/500. Shooting manual is FUN actually, you can change the ISO on a manual SLR. it's called "pushing" or "pulling" the film. but you have to have it developed differently, so that the film developer time is changed. i used to push film when i shot basketball for a paper and we weren't allowed to use a flash, pre-strobes there... we'd take ISO 800 film and treat it like 1600 so we could use a high shutter speed. yes, play around with the aperture if you can, blurring more or less foreground/background. also, becuase aperture is balalnce with shutter speed, you can indirectly alter the shutter speed. That is, if you choose a wide aperture, like 4 or less, you will have a faster shutter speed than if you set the aperture to 16 or 22... have fun :) peacehttp://www.exitshot.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Join the conversation You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible. Reply to this topic... × Pasted as rich text. Paste as plain text instead Only 75 emoji are allowed. × Your link has been automatically embedded. Display as a link instead × Your previous content has been restored. Clear editor × You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL. Insert image from URL × Desktop Tablet Phone Submit Reply 0
flyingferret 0 #10 January 31, 2003 Yeah, you got it. I had not even thought of changing ISO, with a manual SLR, you obviously cannot do that. The most common changes are shutter speed and Fstop. Remember your rule of halves! Each f stop allows half as much light as the one before. And notice the shutter speed are in multiple as well? So, you can quikcly figure, "Okay, I know normal settings might be 1/250 and 5.8, well I want less depth of field, so I drop 1 fstop, say 4.0 and go up one shutter speed, 1/500. Shooting manual is FUN -- All the flaming and trolls of wreck dot with a pretty GUI. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lewmonst 0 #11 February 1, 2003 Quote Yeah, you got it. I had not even thought of changing ISO, with a manual SLR, you obviously cannot do that. The most common changes are shutter speed and Fstop. Remember your rule of halves! Each f stop allows half as much light as the one before. And notice the shutter speed are in multiple as well? So, you can quikcly figure, "Okay, I know normal settings might be 1/250 and 5.8, well I want less depth of field, so I drop 1 fstop, say 4.0 and go up one shutter speed, 1/500. Shooting manual is FUN actually, you can change the ISO on a manual SLR. it's called "pushing" or "pulling" the film. but you have to have it developed differently, so that the film developer time is changed. i used to push film when i shot basketball for a paper and we weren't allowed to use a flash, pre-strobes there... we'd take ISO 800 film and treat it like 1600 so we could use a high shutter speed. yes, play around with the aperture if you can, blurring more or less foreground/background. also, becuase aperture is balalnce with shutter speed, you can indirectly alter the shutter speed. That is, if you choose a wide aperture, like 4 or less, you will have a faster shutter speed than if you set the aperture to 16 or 22... have fun :) peacehttp://www.exitshot.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
