Thursday, November 30, 2006

Digital Photography AHS Computing

Overview • Key Terms • Kinds of Cameras, Batteries and Memory Cards • How many Mega Pixels? • Special features and Video • Downloading the photos to your computer • Keeping your memories safe • Editing • Sharing

Basic Terms • Pixel

–Pictures are made up of tiny squares called pixels

–Similar to how cartoons are made up of dots

Basic Terms • Mega Pixel

–One million pixels –The more pixels, the clearer the photo will be

when blown up

Basic Terms • Aperture Range

–The range possible diameters of the lens opening

–The larger the aperture, the more light gets in

Basic Terms • ISO

–A measure of a camera’s sensitivity to light. –The lower the ISO: the more light is needed to take a picture the less noise in your picture.

Basic Terms • Noise

–Pixels which have the wrong colour. –Often looks like a fuzzy TV screen

Types of Cameras • Point and Shoot

–Easy to use and inexpensive –Limited or no control over focusing and flash –Best camera for beginners

Types of Cameras • Prosumer

–Fairly complicated to use and fairly expensive –Some control over focusing and flash –Best for hobbyists

Types of Cameras • Digital SLR

–Very complicated to use and very expensive –Full control over focusing and flash –Best for professionals or dedicated hobbyists

Things to consider • Size

–Too small, you might lose it –Too big, you will not use it –Make sure it is comfortable in your hand

• Weight

–Make sure you can carry it comfortably –Avoid straining your neck. If necessary

use a shoulder harness –Make sure the batteries are in while

assessing weight

Things to consider • Ease of use

–If you’re not technical, by a simpler camera –Try out some of the features to ensure you will

use them

• Price –Cameras range widely in price –Check online and decide on a price range

before you go into a store

Costs for Digital Cameras • Decide what you are using it for and buy a

camera accordingly –Travelling to a less than secure place – buy a

cheaper camera –Planning on taking it up as a hobby – buy a

more expensive camera

How Many Mega pixels? • This depends on what you plan on doing with

your pictures. Only email 2 mega pixels or

less 4x6 prints 3-4 mega pixels

5x7 prints 4-5 mega pixels

8x10 prints 6-7 mega pixels

11x13 prints 8 or more mega pixels

Digital or Optical zoom? • Digital zoom

–Not really a zoom –Merely enlarges and crops your photos –Ignore digital zoom

except with video

• Optical zoom –True zoom –The length of the camera lens changes –Very useful feature

Types of Batteries • “AA” type batteries ($20-50 with charger)

–Always buy NiMH rechargeable batteries (not alkaline or NiCd)

–Usually become unusable after 2-3 years –Can use regular batteries in a pinch –Replacement batteries are reasonably priced

Types of Batteries • Lithium Ion batteries ($50-100)

–Charge lasts twice as long as NiMH –Usually become unusable after 2-3 years –Slave to the electrical outlet –Replacement batteries are expensive –Cheaper batteries can be found online

Memory Cards • Compact Flash

–Used in most high end or SLR digital cameras

–High capacity and faster internal transfer rates • MicroDrive

–Actual mini hard drives –Very high capacity

• Smart Media –Old technology, most stores don’t sell them

anymore

Memory Cards • Sony Memory Sticks

–Used in Sony cameras, mp3 players, and PDAs.

–There are different sizes of Memory Sticks so make sure you get the right one.

• xD –The smallest of the memory cards. –Used in Fuji and Olympus cameras, and can

be used Compact Flash slots with adaptors. • SD

–Used in many different cameras and other media such as mp3 players.

Memory card costs Card Type

512 MB 1 GB 2 GB 6 GB

Compact Flash

$70 $90 $135 N/A

Micro Drive

N/A $150 $150 $270

Memory Sticks

$55 $70 $105 N/A

xD $50 $80 N/A N/A

SD $55 $75 $110

N/A

File Sizes • How big of a memory card do you need?

–How many pictures do you usually take on an outing? (multiply it by 3)

–How many mega pixels are you shooting in? Mega pixels File size (jpg)

3 2.25 MB per photo

4 3 MB per photo

5 3.75 MB per photo

6 4.5 MB per photo

Special Features • Colours

–Black and White –Sepia

• Burst Mode –Takes 3-5 photos in sequence

with a 1-5 second delay

Special Features • Self Timer

–So you can be in your photos –Best when paired with a tripod

• Panoramic –Allows you to take wide shots –Some require you to take several

photos and then “stitch” them together

Special Features • Action Mode

–For fast moving subjects (sports etc) • Kids and Pets Mode

–For subjects that won’t sit still • Cloudy Mode

–For low light conditions • Sunny Mode

–For high light conditions • Night Mode

–For very low light conditions

Special Features • White Balance Mode

–For taking photos of objects in the shade • Red Eye Reduction Mode

–Flashes twice to avoid red eye • Macro Mode

–For taking photos of very small subjects • Portrait Mode

–Focuses on one main subject near the lens • Landscape Mode

–Widely focuses on the entire scene

Special Features • Underwater features

–Make sure you use a waterproof case! –Underwater mode only adjusts the

flash and shutter speed assuming you are underwater

• Zoom Viewfinder –Viewfinder is linked to the lens,

so it zooms when you do

Special Features • LCD screen

–Bigger screens use more battery life –The bigger the screen, the easier it is to

preview photos

• Upgradeable lenses and flashes –Some cameras let you upgrade

your lens or flash –Lenses and flashes are expensive

Special Features Video • Some cameras allow you to take a few minutes

of poor quality video • Some cameras take sound with the video but not

all • Video takes up a lot of space on memory cards,

and uses up your battery life • For digital home videos, it’s best to use a digital

video camera

Downloading • USB (usually free)

–Most computers already have USB ports –Camera must be plugged in

• USB Card reader –Uses USB –Camera does not need to be plugged in

Downloading • Firewire (cable free, card $70)

–Some computers have firewire ports –If not, a card must be installed inside your

computer –Faster than USB 1

(comparable to USB 2) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB#USB_2.0_Hi-Speed_versus_FireWire

Saving Pictures • Decide where you are going to save your

pictures (e.g. The My Pictures folder)

• Every time you download pictures, put the pictures in a separate subfolder named by the date or event

Saving Pictures • Name your pictures with the subjects, location,

and event –Right click on the picture file, and choose

Rename –e.g.

timmy_suzy_grandmas_christmas2006.jpg

• Now you can use Windows search to find your pictures easily

Windows Search 1. Click on Start and choose Search

2. On the left menu bar, choose Pictures, Music, or Video

3. On the left menu bar, choose Pictures and Photos, then type what you are looking for. If you have labelled your photos you will be able to search for suzy and get all pictures with Suzy in them.

Backing up your Pictures • CDs or DVDs

–Need: CD or DVD burner Blank CDs or DVDs Fireproof storage space

–Cost: less than $5 per month time

Backing up your Pictures • Online

–Need: Fast internet connection Contract with an online backup company

–Cost: $10+ per month

–Note: Go with an established company that is unlikely to go bankrupt

Editing • Cropping

–Keep your focus on what’s important, and cut out the background

• Straighten –Keeping the camera straight is tough,

but you can fix crooked photos

Editing • Makeover

–Sometimes you don’t look your best in a photo.

–You can remove blemishes, under eye shadow etc.

• Brightness –Forget the flash? No Problem, you

can adjust the brightness.

Editing • Red Eye removal

–You can edit out red eye, or even green eye on your pets.

–Microsoft Picture Viewer does a great job of editing out red eye

• Sharpening –Blurry photographs can sometimes

be fixed by sharpening the image.

Editing Programs Adobe • Photoshop:

–Cost: $800 –Complicated, most people do not use the full

capabilities • Elements:

–Cost: $175 –Scaled down version of Photoshop

Editing Programs Corel • Paint shop Photo

–Cost: $125 –Not as functional as Paint shop Pro (or

photoshop) • Snapfire

–Cost: $60 –Scaled down version of paint shop photo,

includes easy to use wizards –Little control over functions (only wizards)

Editing Programs The software that came with your camera • Most cameras come with basic software that will

fix some common photo problems

Emailing Pictures • Whenever possible, post your pictures online

rather than emailing • Remember to resize

–Downloading a picture to your computer and then emailing it without resizing is an email faux-pas

–Most people have inbox size limits, and don’t appreciate getting huge emails

–The software that comes with your camera will most likely have a function to resize your photo for email

Making Prints • Photo Printer

–Allows you to print your photos immediately. –Costs: Printer Special Paper Ink

Making Prints • Photo stores

–Most traditional developing stores now develop digital prints.

–Cost: as low as $0.18 at Costco per 4x6 prints. –Just like film development, higher end stores

will correct your photos for you

Making Prints • Uploading online

–Most stores that develop digital prints allow you to upload your pictures to their site online

–You then just pick the photos up when they are done

Online Photo Albums • Most services are free or low cost • Most services allow you to create lists of people

who are allowed to –See some or all of your photo albums, –Order prints if they choose

• Beware of services that: –require people to sign up to see your albums –require you to buy prints to keep your account

active www.kodakgallery.com, www.smugmug.com, www.myphotoalbum.com, www.shutterfly.com www.flickr.com

Recap • Decide on a price and features before you go to

the store • Try it out before you buy it

–Make sure it’s comfortable and easy to use • Factor in the cost of a memory card and batteries

into your budget • Make sure you have the correct hardware to

download your pictures

Recap • Try any editing software before you buy it • Organize and backup your photos • Whenever possible, post photos online rather

than emailing them • Remember to resize before emailing • Have fun!