Basics of cameras and lenses

[jessickascarling]

We want to see pics of your car!!! Aren't sure about cameras or know anything about them? Keep reading :)

If you want to start out with the basics and work your way up, start out with a point-and-shoot camera. You'll get to know the basic functions of your camera and what each feature does. All cameras work on the same principle of taking photos, the difference is what you're looking to get for a final result.

The first basic most people want to know about is zoom. There are 2 types of zoom... digital and optical. Optical zoom physically moves the lens closer to the object to get a clear, focused picture. Digital zoom enlarges the photo, similar to when you scroll in on a picture from your computer. As a personal choice, I turn off digital zoom because I feel digital zoom decreases the quality of the photo. This is just a personal preference.

The next thing people always like to know about are megapixels. The more megapixels you have, the clearer the image resolution. There are several conflicting ideas regarding megapixels because some people feel it doesn't matter how many megapixels you have, it depends on the camera's image processor and optical lens quality. In this day and age, most cameras have at least 10 megapixels, including the point-and-shoots. This should be fine for your everday use.

A good rule of thumb when determining megapixels is to figure out what size photos you want to print. If you want to print up to a 16x20, it's recommended to have at least 8mp (which isn't usually a problem).

For those cases of people with "shaky" hands, you may want to look into image stabilization for your camera. Again, there are two types of stabilization: optical and digital. The idea is still the same as with zoom, optical is the physical, mechanical stabilization of the camera while digital stabilizes the pixels.

Most cameras are grouped into three categories: point-and-shoot, compact system and DSLR. Most people tend to choose point-and-shoot because they're small and can generally fit into your pocket. Compact system cameras are meant as a step between point-and-shoot and DSLR. You get the same features as a point-and-shoot, while having a longer zoom (keep in mind, the more zoom you have, the bulkier the camera). Compact system cameras will even let you change out the lens! DSLR stands for Digital Single-Lens Reflex and professional photographers tend to use these cameras because they have larger sensors which provide a better quality photo. Some people still feel the DSLR doesn't compare to the film SLR cameras in quality.

The most popular lenses for the DSLR are the the macro lens, wide angle and the telephoto.

Macro lenses are used to take pictures of objects as close as possible. These are commonly used for taking pictures of insects and foliage. The macro lens allows you to get a lot of detail up close.

The wide-angle lens is used to take panoramic photos. Typically used for lanscapes.

The telephoto lens is a zoom lens... obviously because you can zoom really far! Keep in mind, if the zoom lens itself doesn't have stabilization, your photo can come out shaky.

Okay, so now that you know the basics, lets hear from our photographer friends on the site!! Post up some examples of photos for us to see how each lens works!

We also want to know what you're all using for cameras (point-and-shoot, compact system and DSLR)!

[Bu11dogg2]

subscribe!

[jessickascarling]

NES photographers, no takers on posting photos? i have some i have to get from my external hdd once i find which box i put it in :lol:

kyle... did you forget you told me you'd post up some pics?! :lol:

[kburnell]

kyle... did you forget you told me you'd post up some pics?! :lol:

Nope, I didn't forget. I slept in this morning and then went to work. I've got the next two days off so I'll find a few to post :)

[kburnell]

Here is a newer one...

http://www.kyleburnell.com/subie/20101025_0001_web.jpg

Info: Canon 5D with Canon 50 1.4, ISO 200, 1/1600 @ f1.4.

[Berge56]

I like the weeping willow tree in the pic.

[kburnell]

One of Pastrana at NEFR this year.

http://www.kyleburnell.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/20100716_0004.jpg

Info: Canon 5D with Canon 70-200 2.8 IS, ISO 640, 1/500 @ f7.1

[jessickascarling]

^i love that one you took of pastrana. good thing you got it this year :) hehe.

[boxer3maine]

good basic info.
I puke at dslr prices, and know I am not exactly a newb anymore.

the other half of the camera is the user and pc it is headed to.

usb 1.0 and 1.3 mp cameras revealed every tiny little error along the way.

Today instead of that bump in the camra cable some call a megnet to stop errors, or filter, is replaced in my own with a capacitor at the usb port (expensive custom builders case). The filter is not needed now, it has a real one...I do recommend.

there is no excuse for lack of CRT. You want to see the reall depth... edit with a crt. LCD is way limited, way lower than the real cameras ability.

and lastly, what you see on the web is absolutely nothing. It is impressive to see the real quality...

4mbyte for 3 mp to 5mp cameras in file sizes shows it is taking good photos (in data anyway). this is how to use your computer to prove your camera in other important ways.

I also found with a real worksation having ECC system memory (most home computers do not), photos compress dramatically smaller, and stay very nice in appearance...correcting bit errors is another winner, in other words.

I have not gone past 3mp for the reasons above. megapixel is not quality, megapixel is size only. if your low megapixel older camera looks lousy on your pc and should not... recheck what I have written. Repeat: megapixel is not quality.

I have a tiny nikon I will not be throwing away until it breaks...

this does get me to thinking of past lenses. if it is a glass lense, the chip is high grade (no choice). if it is aplastic lense camera, throw it on ebay for a dollar...it is all done.

[Seraphinwolf]

Jess you missed about the differences in stabilizers in the body or in the lens. After all that can be a deal breaker for some. Especially those transitioning from one camera to another. Especially a trusted older camera that is now being replaced and the owner has every mannor of lens they want already where the stabilizer was in one or the other.

Especially if jumping into digital SLRs from an old body possibly with no stabilizer at all but the lenses will fit a newer body. The little bit extra for a body bourne stabilizer can really save on the over all cost of equipment when you can save a LOT of money on a lens cause it doesn't have the cost of the stabilizer added to it.

I don't think I could even begin to count all the lenses between my parents or there cameras. Actually I don't think I could even count all their cameras... :lol:

[jessickascarling]

^Thanks for the info :) I was just doing the basics of cameras, most people who want to jump into an SLR have done a lot of research. This is for people who are looking to take pics of their cars but don't know where to start.

If you'd like to contribute about the stabilizers, write it up and I'll add it to my original post :) I'd love to have more contributions since I don't know everything about camears.

[Seraphinwolf]

I think you'd be surprised how many DON'T think of that when shoppig and half blind go for the "OOOOO... GET THAT ONE!!!"

[klieg]

I think you'd be surprised how many DON'T think of that when shoppig and half blind go for the "OOOOO... GET THAT ONE!!!"

Shiny Object Syndrome ftw.

[cman7]

good basic info.
I puke at dslr prices, and know I am not exactly a newb anymore.

the other half of the camera is the user and pc it is headed to.

usb 1.0 and 1.3 mp cameras revealed every tiny little error along the way.

Today instead of that bump in the camra cable some call a megnet to stop errors, or filter, is replaced in my own with a capacitor at the usb port (expensive custom builders case). The filter is not needed now, it has a real one...I do recommend.

there is no excuse for lack of CRT. You want to see the reall depth... edit with a crt. LCD is way limited, way lower than the real cameras ability.

and lastly, what you see on the web is absolutely nothing. It is impressive to see the real quality...

4mbyte for 3 mp to 5mp cameras in file sizes shows it is taking good photos (in data anyway). this is how to use your computer to prove your camera in other important ways.

I also found with a real worksation having ECC system memory (most home computers do not), photos compress dramatically smaller, and stay very nice in appearance...correcting bit errors is another winner, in other words.

I have not gone past 3mp for the reasons above. megapixel is not quality, megapixel is size only. if your low megapixel older camera looks lousy on your pc and should not... recheck what I have written. Repeat: megapixel is not quality.

I have a tiny nikon I will not be throwing away until it breaks...

this does get me to thinking of past lenses. if it is a glass lense, the chip is high grade (no choice). if it is aplastic lense camera, throw it on ebay for a dollar...it is all done.

A lot of this isn't really true, and/or relevant anymore.

CRT's used to be the leader in viewing quality, but LCD's (as of the past 4-5 years) have triumphed them for sure. And USB 1.x has long been surpassed by USB 2.0, and hell, now even usb 3.0.

So I don't quite see how a computer can distort, lose, or make a picture lesser quality than what it has been taken. Unless you're resizing it... But that has nothing to do with your computer.

And the parity/ECC thing about memory isn't really relevant either.

Just making sure nobody is going to be misinformed here...

[boxer3maine]

here is an example of macro as requested. This is downsized for web downloads to just 127kb (90kb from photobucket)...macro shots are always the biggest for a camera, taking in alot of data. It is a telephoto lense shot but up close. Telephoto is the most powerful for any camera. hence optical is a must do when seeking far away, or up close, as well as glass lense. (it is cheaper than most think). I still have no complaints with 40 dollar glass lense cameras..

http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd255/soob87/cylheadsleeveweb.jpg

[jessickascarling]

thanks for posting this photo :)

what camera did you use to take the pic?

[CanonShooter]

Not a car but a macro lens shot, ice storm of '08. Canon 50D with EF 100/2.8, tripod and remote release. This ice formation was about 1 inch across.

http://www.canonshooter.com/photos2/icestorm-3.jpg

[hiprsha666]

Not a car but a macro lens shot, ice storm of '08. Canon 50D with EF 100/2.8, tripod and remote release. This ice formation was about 1 inch across.

http://www.canonshooter.com/photos2/icestorm-3.jpg

That is incredible. Nice pic.

[Aperture]

Lol, cool idea for a thread. Important to remember camera is about 25% of the battle. User is way more important.


Expect to spend around $400 to get into a brand new entry level DSLR, you can go used for less.

As stated in the original post, megapixels aren't everything.

Something to remember, Cheap Camera + Good lenses> Good Camera + Cheap Lenses.

[98Wagoon]

anyone ever bother with 35mm anymore? theres more to photography than dslr's and photoshop

[Aperture]

No. I don't.

35mm is an art, but a slowly dying one, and as for the "photoshop" argument, artists took LOTS of liberties in the darkroom, it was just less user friendly than photoshop makes it now, and especially ****pile programs like photomatix.

[Nemesis]

http://nemesisphoto.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/IMG_1417.jpg

Shot with Canon 5D 1/250 sec @ f7.1 @320 iso 70-200 2.8 IS USM @70 mm

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs525.snc3/29847_411040556760_589411760_4801257_3791009_n.jpg

Shot with Canon 5D 0.3 sec @ f13 @50 iso 17-40 f4 @17 mm

[CanonShooter]

Any of you pretty girls want to go on a date with me? This is what happens to you when you start screwing around with digital cameras....

http://www.canonshooter.com/photos2/scaryjim-1.jpg

[DHGurs]

:lol:

[Nemesis]

Any of you pretty girls want to go on a date with me? This is what happens to you when you start screwing around with digital cameras....

http://www.canonshooter.com/photos2/scaryjim-1.jpg

this is what the hulk looks like in black n white

[silver_scoob]

I got a Nikon D3100 about two weeks ago and I love it!

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k217/xtremechris03/DSC_0687.jpg
Shutter speed 30sec . ISO@800, f/4.5

The star effect off the windshield just happened, no filter or effects added
http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k217/xtremechris03/DSC_0016.jpg
Shutter speed 1/80, ISO@200, 18-55mm @ 32mm f/4.5, tripod.
10 second timer for me to hit my mark...:lol:

[Matty]

If you guys want...I can post up a shot of the same object at all different camera settings and different lenses to show some differences and how the settings affect the picture.

I have a Nikon D90 dslr with a mix of lenses and filters...for reference

[Matty]

Just talking basics and than slapping up pics with specs won't help anyone. They need to know what f stops are and ISO and etc...and how it all plays together. The user makes way more than the camera

[jessickascarling]

^if you would like to do that, it would be fabulous! i'd love to see the differences! i don't know much about f stops, iso et cetera myself so if you have some info with examples, i'd really like to see it.

[toomanytoyz]

Subscribed. :)

I've been thinking about finding a used DSLR lately... I'd love to learn about f stop and iso and all that myself, or at least grasp the general concept... ;)

My mind is like clay... or something...

[Jon]

I just started the hunt for a new camera. coming from nothing here so anything is going to be an improvement. I'm kinda leaning towards a nice point and shoot right now, but a nice entry level DSLR isn't out of the question. I've used a cannon rebel a few years back and know the basics of cameras, but it's been so long since i've looked into them, i don't know where to start as far as how they've progressed techno wise.

I was looking at the new canon sx230hs that they just released, seems to be getting nice reviews. anyone have any opinions on that one?

[jessickascarling]

i just looked up the specs for it, and it looks like a really good camera. i really like optical image stabilization. the only thing i DON'T like is that it doesn't have a view finder. i've found myself in several situations where it was either too dark or too light and it was difficult to see on the screen. hopefully they've enhanced the screen to resolve issues like this but who knows :shrug:

let us know what you get! i'd love to get a new camera but my spare room is next on my hit list :lol:

[Jon]

I picked up the Canon sx230hs tonight from bestbuy. Just playing with it now. Seems pretty nice. My living room is pretty dark and it takes some pretty nice pics even without the flash. Not too much noise. Just 2 things i wish it did though. Wish it would make pano's on the camera, not just help take the pics, but actually render them like other cameras i've played with. And i wish it had more options for slow motion capture than just the 240fps. the Nikon i played with did 120fps at a high res and it looked much better.

I'll try it out for a few days and see how it does.