Digital Photography Glossary

The DP Review site has an excellent glossary section where all those words you use on a daily basis as a keen photographer  which slide from your tongue as if their understanding were universal reside. Sections include: Digital Imaging; Camera Systems; Exposure etc

Here is just one of the numerous sections covered

AD Converter AF Assist Lamp AF Servo Autofocus Batteries Buffer Burst (Continuous) Color Filter Array Connectivity

Effective Pixels EXIF Fill Factor Firmware Lag Time LCD Manual Focus Microlenses Pixels

Pixel Density Pixel Quality Sensors Sensor Linearity Sensor Sizes Storage Card Thumbnail Index Viewfinder

Here is the entry on autofocus

All digital cameras come with autofocus (AF). In autofocus mode the camera automatically focuses on the subject in the focus area in the center of the LCD/viewfinder. Many prosumer and all professional digital cameras allow you to select additional autofocus areas which are indicated on the LCD/viewfinder.

Example of a camera with a multi selector button (extreme right) to select the AF area spot. The selected area spot is indicated on the main LCD by a red bracket.

In “single AF” mode, the camera will focus when the shutter release button is pressed halfway. Some cameras offer “continuous AF” mode whereby the camera focuses continuously until you press the shutter release button halfway. This shortens the lag time, but reduces battery life. Normally a focus confirmation light will stop blinking once the subject in focus. Autofocus is usually based on detecting contrast and therefore works best on contrasty subjects and less well in low light conditions, in which case the use of an AF assist lamp is very useful. Some cameras also feature manual focus.

This article is written by Vincent Bockaert, author of The 123 of digital imaging Interactive Learning Suite Click here to visit 123di.com

Go here to visit the glossary pages of DP Review

Fujifilm X100S First Look

The Fuji X100S is a much coveted camera, it definitely has style, if what you look for in technology is something that harks back to before you were born. It also has a pedigree of fine technical excellence so do you want one?

When Fujifilm announced its FinePix X100 retro-styled compact at Photokina 2010, it instantly captured the imagination of serious photographers. With its fixed 23mm F2 lens and SLR-sized APS-C sensor, it offered outstanding image quality, while its ‘traditional’ dial-based handling and innovative optical/electronic ‘Hybrid’ viewfinder gave a shooting experience reminiscent of rangefinder cameras. On launch its firmware was riddled with frustrating bugs and quirks, but a series of updates transformed it into a serious photographic tool. Certain flaws remained, apparently too deeply embedded into the hardware to be fixable, but despite this, it counts as something of a cult classic.

Fujifilm X100S key features

• Fujifilm-designed 16.3MP APS-C X-Trans CMOS II sensor
• On-sensor phase detection autofocus
• Novel colour filter array to suppress colour moiré, no optical low-pass filter
• EXR Processor II image processor
• Hybrid optical / electronic viewfinder with 2.35M dot LCD EVF
• Analogue dials for shutter speed, aperture and exposure compensation
• Fixed 23mm F2 lens (same as X100)
• Improved manual focus system (more responsive focus ring, focus peaking and split-image displays)
• 2.8″ 460k dot LCD
• On-screen ‘Q’ control panel and tabbed menu system
• Full HD 1080/60fps movie recording, 36Mbps bitrate
• Socket for electronic remote release/stereo microphone

SEE ALL OF THE ARTICLE ON DP REVIEW HERE

By the way it costs about £1000

Nikon D600 Released September 18th

New cameras come along at an alarming rate, is it true that we are expected to buy a new camera every three years, I am sure I read that somewhere. There is no doubt that as technology improves daily it is very tempting to want the latest and best, not because it is the latest but because we can produce better images under more difficult conditions. One thing I don’t particularly like about the march of technology is the way that the camera manufacturers always seem to want to wrest control from us, the photographers, and have us use their, the cameras, automatic functions more. The idea seems to be that the camera knows best and can make better judgements about the picture we are about to take. WRONG. A camera that delivers better quality, images with smoother tone, less noise, better colour, able to handle subject brightness range better, all the things that make an image just better are to be applauded but e.g. some auto focus gizmo that means it is harder for me to focus where I want is not a help, it is a hindrance.

There is a new Nikon camera that will no doubt have many salivating. It is a full frame dslr 24 megapixel with HD video, sounds like a competitor for the Canon 5D.

Here is a bit from a Nikon website The D600 is a new model added to the Nikon FX-format digital SLR lineup with a smaller size and lighter weight–approx. 141 x 113 (H) x 82 (D) mm, 760 g*¹ for excellent portability, yet offers the superior image quality and rendering performance, operation, and durability of high-end FX-format D-SLRs. The D600 is a compact and lightweight camera that offers excellent cost performance. In addition to a new FX-format CMOS image sensor with an effective pixel count of 24.3-million pixels and the same EXPEED 3 image-processing engine built into high-end models, the D600 inherits a number of advanced features from its high-end cousins, including an optical viewfinder with frame coverage of 100%*², a large and clear, 3.2-inch LCD monitor with a wide viewing angle for superior visibility, and the same dust- and water-resistance as the D800

The best go to site for camera reviews DP Review only has a preview so far but anything they have to say is always worth reading, you can find that here

Nikon D600: Key Specifications

• 24.3MP Full-frame CMOS sensor (10.5MP DX-format crop mode)
• ISO 100-6400 (expandable to ISO 50-25,600 equivalent)
• Maximum 5.5fps continuous shooting
• 39-point AF system with 9 cross-type AF points
• 3.2in 921k-dot LCD screen
• 1080p30 full HD video mode with stereo sound recording
• Headphone jack for audio monitoring in movie mode
• Uncompressed video recording via HDMI
• Single-axis electronic level in viewfinder, duel-axis (pitch and roll) in live view
• Dimensions: 141mm x 113mm x 82mm (5.5 × 4.4 × 3.2 in).
• Weight: 760 g (1.6 lbs) (camera body only, no battery)
• Calumet here in the UK say the camera will be released on September 18th the price listed in the US is about $2100 so expect to pay about the same in pounds here
  

Canon EOS 650D

Canon have added a new model to its range and all the evidence before full user reviews are available is that it has the new Digic 5 processor plus other new technologies like a dual focusing system and articulated screen with touch screen capabilities.

Introducing the latest model in the Canon EOS system, the 650D featuring a 270 degree vari-angle clear view touch screen – a first on any Canon DSLR. View your images, pinch to zoom and even fire your shutter on the 1,040,000 dot LCD screen.

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The Canon EOS-650D also features

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• 18 MP CMOS sensor
• Full HD movies with continuous AF and editable video snapshot modes
• Digic 5 processing
• 63 zone light metering for optimum exposure in all light conditions
• 4 ways to focus
• Integrated Canon Speedlite transmitter

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As always my first place for decent info rather than just rumours is the excellent DP Review

Here is a brief summary of what they have to say

“The EOS 650D offers outstanding image quality and performance. Its newly-developed 18MP APS-C Hybrid CMOS sensor provides super-fine resolution, capturing poster-sized images that are rich in colour and detail. Ideal for shooting in low light without flash, the camera features a native 100-12,800 ISO range, allowing the capture of naturallooking shots with minimal noise, while an expanded ISO 25,600 range also offers the ability to shoot in more extreme low-light conditions.

The EOS 650D is the first entry-level EOS to be powered by Canon DIGIC 5 processing, offering greater speed, responsiveness and advanced colour rendition. DIGIC 5’s 14-bit image processing provides beautiful and subtle transitions between colour tones, such as those of an evening sky, and its vastly-increased power also makes the camera ideal for capturing fast-moving action such as football or other sports.

The new dual AF system makes it easy to capture sharply-focused shots of all subjects, whether capturing stills or movies. A superior 9-point all cross-type AF system provides exceptional performance during stills shooting, offering precision accuracy when capturing sports, action and wildlife. Additionally, a new Hybrid AF System offers continuous autofocusing during movie recording, and when shooting in Live View1 mode…….

Touch control and Vari-angle flexibility

Getting the perfect shot has never been easier thanks to the new 7.7cm (3.0″) Vari-angle Clear View LCD II Touch screen. Featuring capacitive technology, the screen is highly responsive and supports a variety of multi-touch gestures, such as pinching and swiping – making it easy to access shooting modes, alter settings and even capture a shot using the screen alone.

Touch control adds a different dimension to Live View shooting. You can select AF points, track faces and objects, and fine-tune image settings via the camera’s Quick Control screen. Navigation is instant and intuitive, while pinch-zooming in playback provides a great way to check the finer details of a shot. The Vari-angle hinge allows the screen to be angled and tilted to suit virtually any situation, while a super-sharp 1,040k-dot resolution ensures every detail is clearly displayed.”.…MORE

The expected price upon release is from £699 so it is not excessive expensive for a state of the art digital slr camera, release dates seem to vary but will be generally available over the summer.

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Here is a bit more info in easy to digest points Canon EOS 650D: 10 things you need to know

The Ultimate Guide for Buying Your First Digital SLR

“Let’s assume that you’ve been shooting with your “point and shoot” for a while now, and you’ve taken some pretty nice snapshots. But maybe you are starting to feel a little limited by what the camera is capable of doing. You’ve read up on photography, and there are things you want to work on. You feel it is time to step up!

This guide will help you to understand some of the basic features of Digital SLR cameras (DSLRs), and hopefully help you find one that fits both your needs and budget.”“…..more

Best compact cameras- top four

While micro cameras are getting all the headlines, with their raw file and video capture abilities plus their interchangeable lenses, compacts still have their place as truly pocketable snap cameras. Kevin Carter reviews four of the best….more Author: Kevin Carter at The BJP

One reason why your prints do not match the image on your screen

This article clearly and simply explains the issues of making a print from your digital image and why colour space has an impact on how your print appears, understanding is better than ignorance.

Written by Matthew Bird “If you have normal vision, you’ll be able to see a wide range of different colors, all the way from a deep violet at the lower end of the spectrum, to a primary red at the higher end. In between these two extremes, you can see blues, greens, yellows and shades of orange. Put them all together and you have the visible spectrum, sometimes known as the ‘color gamut’ of your vision.

It’s quite a wide range, and most man-made devices have a smaller color gamut than the human eye. The most important gamuts for photography enthusiasts looking to reproduce their work are those of monitors and printers. These devices use two completely different ways of creating colors, known as additive and subtractive, and failing to understand these can impact your final print quality significantly.” interested? read more

The difference between full frame and crop sensor DSLR cameras

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Back in the stone age when we all used film, 35mm became the gold standard film size.  When we switched over to digital, there was no film to be used.  On most DSLR cameras, the digital imaging sensor, which replaces film, is significantly smaller than 35mm film.   In 2002, the first sensor that equaled the size of 35mm film was produced.

Canon was the first mainstream camera manufacturer to produce a DSLR camera with a sensor the size of 35mm film.  I can just imagine how the meeting went when the executives at the Canon marketing department sat down and tried to think of a way to make their new DSLR seem ultra-incredible and make everyone else’s camera seem like it was half a camera.  They accomplished this task by calling their 35mm equivalent sensor a “Full frame” DSLR camera, and decided to call all other DSLR cameras “Crop frame” cameras.”……………..more including pros and cons of the various options

Here are some pictures that might help you understand the size ratios of the various sensor sizes

This explanation has images taken from full frame and crop sensor cameras from the same location using the same focal length of lens, it is a useful read also....here

In the image above I took two pictures from the exact same location with a 30D and a 5D. I used the same lens (Canon 24-105 f/4L IS) on both photos at a focal length of 24mm. By overlaying 100% size images on top of each other you can see how much more of the scene is captured by the 5D’s full-frame sensor (the color 30D image is on top of the black & white 5D image).

Here is another example of the two images                                                                            Crop Sensor

Full Frame Sensor

Got a new camera? Techniques and Rules All New Camera Owners Should Know

Did the holidays find you the proud owner of a new camera. You may be well versed in the details and techniques of digital cameras but if not then these tutorials will be very useful to you. You might also want to consider taking one of our courses scheduled for the new year. Starting towards the end of January we have a range of camera and technique based courses that if you are lucky enough to live in Oxford you might want to take.

The Definitive Guide to Stabilising Your Camera for Crisper Shots Read more: The Definitive Guide to Stabilising Your Camera for Crisper Shots

In our camera based courses we always say the first thing you have to learn is how to hold your camera still, without doing so your pictures will be unsharp or soft.

Camera shake is a problem that almost every photographer is going to experience. Sometimes there’s just nothing you can do, but in most cases there are a few tricks you can use to get a little bit of extra stability. Here are some things you might like to think about, next time you get jolted out of a perfectly focused shot.

Read more: The Definitive Guide to Stabilising Your Camera for Crisper Shots