Most medium to high-end digital cameras will offer you a choice of file formats in which to save your images. The most popular formats are JPEG, TIFF and RAW.
TIFF files will always be higher quality than JPEGs, and JPEG files will always be smaller than TIFFs. The main problem with TIFF files is that they are huge, which will cause your camera to slow down when trying to write your images to the memory card, it means the number of images you can capture in 1 minute will be much less with TIFF than with JPG. However, if you're going for the highest quality image you can capture, the RAW format is a much better choice than TIFF, because it is much more versatile and often smaller. RAW files contain the most information - like capturing 4096 shades of gray instead of only 256, and allow for the most versatility when it comes time to open your image in Photoshop. *Bear in mind that Raw files are just the raw sensor data, it isn't a picture until it is processed further.
Choose JPEG when you either need to fit a large number of images on a storage card or when capturing fast action. Only choose RAW when you need the highest quality possible and don't mind having to spend some time in Photoshop adjusting the images and no need to shoot as rapidly as with JPEG. Choose TIFF only when there are no choice of RAW format but required higher quality than JPEG.
Tuesday 30 October 2007
Tuesday 23 October 2007
LCD or Viewfinder?
Should we use the digital camera’s LCD screen or viewfinder to frame the shots? Lets check it out:
* Convenience - Perhaps the main reason that people use the LCD is convenience. Switch the camera on and from almost any position you can snap a shot.
* Size - Digital cameras have very small view finders.
* Instant Playback - shooting with the LCD means that after you take your shot you will immediately see the shot you’ve taken flashed onto the screen.
* Framing Inaccuracy of Optical Viewfinders on Point and Shoots - one of the most common complaints about using the viewfinder on digital cameras is that what you see through it is slightly different to what the camera is actually seeing as the view finder is generally positioned above and to the left of the lens which means it is slightly different (a problem called parallax).
* Electronic View Finders (EVF) - another type of view finder that is found on some point and shoot digital cameras is the EVF one. This overcomes the problem of your viewfinder and camera seeing slightly different things by giving you an exact picture of the scene you’re photographing in the viewfinder. This happens simply by putting a little LCD in the viewfinder.
* Glasses Wearers - if you wear glasses you might find using the viewfinder of your Digital camera more difficult. Many these days do come with a little diopter adjuster to help with this.
* Battery Killer - the LCD on your camera chews up battery power faster than almost any other feature on your camera.
* Camera Shake - when shooting with the LCD as a viewfinder you need to hold your camera away from your body, this increased the chance that your camera will be moving as you take the shot which will result in blurry shots.
* Competing Light - one problem that you will often have with framing your shots using the LCD is that for many cameras, shooting in bright light will make it difficult to see the LCD - leaving it looking washed out. Using the viewfinder instead of the LCD will generally overcome the problem.
Hoever, the ultimate choice in using the LCD or viewfinder will come down to personal preference.
* Convenience - Perhaps the main reason that people use the LCD is convenience. Switch the camera on and from almost any position you can snap a shot.
* Size - Digital cameras have very small view finders.
* Instant Playback - shooting with the LCD means that after you take your shot you will immediately see the shot you’ve taken flashed onto the screen.
* Framing Inaccuracy of Optical Viewfinders on Point and Shoots - one of the most common complaints about using the viewfinder on digital cameras is that what you see through it is slightly different to what the camera is actually seeing as the view finder is generally positioned above and to the left of the lens which means it is slightly different (a problem called parallax).
* Electronic View Finders (EVF) - another type of view finder that is found on some point and shoot digital cameras is the EVF one. This overcomes the problem of your viewfinder and camera seeing slightly different things by giving you an exact picture of the scene you’re photographing in the viewfinder. This happens simply by putting a little LCD in the viewfinder.
* Glasses Wearers - if you wear glasses you might find using the viewfinder of your Digital camera more difficult. Many these days do come with a little diopter adjuster to help with this.
* Battery Killer - the LCD on your camera chews up battery power faster than almost any other feature on your camera.
* Camera Shake - when shooting with the LCD as a viewfinder you need to hold your camera away from your body, this increased the chance that your camera will be moving as you take the shot which will result in blurry shots.
* Competing Light - one problem that you will often have with framing your shots using the LCD is that for many cameras, shooting in bright light will make it difficult to see the LCD - leaving it looking washed out. Using the viewfinder instead of the LCD will generally overcome the problem.
Hoever, the ultimate choice in using the LCD or viewfinder will come down to personal preference.
Tuesday 16 October 2007
Polarizing Filters
These deservedly popular filters, also known as polarizers, use the inherent polarization of atmospheric scatter, glare and other unwanted reflections to remove such photographic pests selectively and prospectively from the light entering your camera. If you shoot much outdoors, the ability to mount a polarizer is reason enough to invest in a filter-capable camera and the required adapters. No single filter type will deliver more benefit in routine photography than a properly used polarizer.
Linear vs. Circular
Polarizers come in two main types, linear and circular, identical in use and effects and differing only in camera compatibility. Specifically, linear polarizers are incompatible with cameras that rely on split-beam optics for functions like metering and auto-focus. High-end digital SLRs may require circular polarizers, but the less expensive linear polarizers will work with most digital cameras, SLRs and rangefinders alike. When in doubt, get a circular.
Benefits and Use
Used properly, polarizers can darken the blue of the sky, highlight clouds, suppress unwanted highlights and improve general color saturation by suppressing atmospheric scatter and color-robbing reflections off water, glass, sunlit foliage, vehicles and even bald heads. (In wide-angle shots showing lots of sky, however, you may get better results with a GND.)
Polarizers are admittedly more complicated to use effectively than one might hope, but once you develop an understanding of the ways in which scattering and reflection add polarization to light in the photographic environment, polarizers become very simple. Digital rangefinder users often complain that they can't see their rear LCDs well enough in bright sunlight to adjust a polarizer properly under TTL (through-the-lens) control. But as long as you're after maximum effect, you can easily learn to adjust a polarizer reliably without TTL control.
Polarizers always require substantial exposure compensation. In strongly polarized ambient light, a polarizer can easily cut to 3-4 stops or more. In the absence of polarized light or when set at 90° to the prevailing target polarization or target directions—most polarizers end up acting as 1- to 2-stop (0.3-0.6) neutral density filters.
Digital cameras with limited dynamic range can benefit greatly from the selective suppression of excess contrast. It's often best to reduce exposure to preserve highlight detail and work to bring up the shadows in post-processing—for example, using tone curves or gamma adjustments. You may well end up with noise in the shadows, but that's usually preferable to blown-out highlights. The more you suppress the highlights with a polarizer beforehand, the fewer problems you'll have in the shadows.
Due to the limited UV sensitivity found in most digital cameras, polarizers also provide a welcome and effective alternative for haze control at favorable camera-sun angles.
Linear vs. Circular
Polarizers come in two main types, linear and circular, identical in use and effects and differing only in camera compatibility. Specifically, linear polarizers are incompatible with cameras that rely on split-beam optics for functions like metering and auto-focus. High-end digital SLRs may require circular polarizers, but the less expensive linear polarizers will work with most digital cameras, SLRs and rangefinders alike. When in doubt, get a circular.
Benefits and Use
Used properly, polarizers can darken the blue of the sky, highlight clouds, suppress unwanted highlights and improve general color saturation by suppressing atmospheric scatter and color-robbing reflections off water, glass, sunlit foliage, vehicles and even bald heads. (In wide-angle shots showing lots of sky, however, you may get better results with a GND.)
Polarizers are admittedly more complicated to use effectively than one might hope, but once you develop an understanding of the ways in which scattering and reflection add polarization to light in the photographic environment, polarizers become very simple. Digital rangefinder users often complain that they can't see their rear LCDs well enough in bright sunlight to adjust a polarizer properly under TTL (through-the-lens) control. But as long as you're after maximum effect, you can easily learn to adjust a polarizer reliably without TTL control.
Polarizers always require substantial exposure compensation. In strongly polarized ambient light, a polarizer can easily cut to 3-4 stops or more. In the absence of polarized light or when set at 90° to the prevailing target polarization or target directions—most polarizers end up acting as 1- to 2-stop (0.3-0.6) neutral density filters.
Digital cameras with limited dynamic range can benefit greatly from the selective suppression of excess contrast. It's often best to reduce exposure to preserve highlight detail and work to bring up the shadows in post-processing—for example, using tone curves or gamma adjustments. You may well end up with noise in the shadows, but that's usually preferable to blown-out highlights. The more you suppress the highlights with a polarizer beforehand, the fewer problems you'll have in the shadows.
Due to the limited UV sensitivity found in most digital cameras, polarizers also provide a welcome and effective alternative for haze control at favorable camera-sun angles.
Tuesday 9 October 2007
Infrared Filter
An infrared filter is a filter to remove visible light and only pass infrared light in different wavelengths. In infrared photography, the image sensor used is sensitive to infrared light. The part of the spectrum used is referred to as near-infrared to distinguish it from far-infrared, which is the domain of thermal imaging. Wavelengths used for photography range from about 700 nm to about 900 nm. Usually an infrared filter is used; this lets infrared (IR) light pass through to the camera but blocks all or most of the visible light spectrum (and thus looks black or deep red).
When these filters are used together with infrared-sensitive sensors, false-color or black-and-white images with a dreamlike or sometimes lurid appearance known as the "Wood Effect." The effect is mainly caused by foliage (such as tree leaves and grass) strongly reflecting in the same way visible light is reflected from snow.
The pictures posted at the top was taken with a Hoya-72 Infrared filter on my Panasonic DMC-FZ8.
Tuesday 2 October 2007
Graduated Neutral Density (GND) filter
A graduated neutral density filter, also known as a graduated ND filter, split neutral density filter, or just a graduated filter, is an optical filter that has a variable light transmission. Typically half of the filter is of neutral density which transitions, either hardly or softly, into the other half which is clear. It is used to bring an overly-bright part of a scene into the dynamic range of film or sensor. For example, it can be used to darken a bright sky so that both the sky and subject can be properly exposed. ND filters can come in a variety of shapes and sizes and densities and can be used in all types of photographic applications from still photography, motion photography and scientific applications. Center filters are ND graduated filters that are slightly opaque in the center and are clear at edges. These are used to compensate for light falloff that is natural with large optics.
Although its importance may have lessened with the advent of the modern digital darkroom, it is still an important tool for professionals because a digital sensor that is "blown out" or "washed out" - i.e. reading maximum values (white)- captures no usable data and cannot be corrected with later processing.
Although its importance may have lessened with the advent of the modern digital darkroom, it is still an important tool for professionals because a digital sensor that is "blown out" or "washed out" - i.e. reading maximum values (white)- captures no usable data and cannot be corrected with later processing.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)