Camera basics are the timeless and generic aspects of cameras; even as technology evolves, these things will remain essentially the same.
3
votes
4answers
320 views
Best websites to find deals on purchasing Digital Camera / Equipment?
What are the best websites ( other than Amazon ) to find deals on purchasing digital cameras and equipment?. Canon EOS 60 D is on my wishlist and I am looking for Discount / Deals.
Most of my ...
4
votes
1answer
193 views
How can I syncronize simultaneous shots taken with two cameras?
How can I capture two simultaneous shots using two cameras and two cameramen? For example I want to capture one person throwing a frisbee while the other person is chasing it down. I'm not trying to ...
12
votes
4answers
2k views
What is the small +- wheel next to my view port for?
I had a scare last night when everything in my view port looked blurry on my brand new Canon 60D, even the digital display a red focus boxes.
The images photos came out clear, the live view was ...
0
votes
0answers
86 views
Technically what happens that aperture affects Depth of field [duplicate]
Possible Duplicates:
What exactly determines depth of field?
Technically, why is the out of focus area blurred more when using a bigger aperture?
It is obvious that the aperture affects ...
12
votes
4answers
1k views
What is a normal lens?
I've heard people call 50mm lenses "normal lenses".
For a lens to be considered normal, does it have to be exactly 50mm or is there some leeway? Does the normal focal length depend on crop factor of ...
7
votes
4answers
955 views
What are the technical differences between using a DSLR viewfinder and live view?
The earlier question What are the advantages of using the optical viewfinder over live preview to take photos on a DSLR? asks for practical advantages of optical viewfinders. But what's the technical ...
1
vote
2answers
461 views
How to focus manually when you don't have a live view in the DSLR?
Nikon D3000 doesn't have a live view which means that the scene can't be seen on the LCD screen.
So, how do you use the manual focus in such cases? Hit and trial, or is there a way out?
6
votes
6answers
1k views
How do I get the 'equivalent' focal length for a DSLR lens for my camera?
On my Nikon D3000, how do I figure the focal length equivalence? In other words, if I want a lens that is just like a 50mm lens on a 35mm film SLR, I need to multiply by a factor. What is the factor, ...
29
votes
7answers
6k views
What is aperture, and how does it affect my photographs?
How does aperture affect my photographs?
Why should I care about the aperture with which a photo was taken?
12
votes
4answers
323 views
What is it called when an object appears to be the same size with the eye and through the camera viewfinder?
I have a Canon 18-135 lens. I am looking into the camera viewfinder with my right eye and not through the viewfinder with my left. I start from 18mm and keep zooming in till I see a particular object ...
0
votes
3answers
3k views
In what way does shutter speed affect a photo?
Is there a rule like "the lower the speed the better quality?"
I tried taking at different speeds but couldn't understand the difference.
12
votes
4answers
3k views
How can a lens like a 18-55mm have more than one focal length?
How can a lens have a range of focal lengths? Shouldn't it be a single number?
Isn't focal length supposed to be fixed for a lens of a particular shape and geometry?
What am I missing?
How many ...
16
votes
5answers
905 views
How does a circular lens produce rectangular shots?
Is it something like the sensor captures a circular image and then what we get is the cropped version?
Something like this:
Or did I get it completely wrong?
3
votes
2answers
234 views
What should a beginner look at in comparing two point & shoot cameras?
My interest in photography grew over the last few days, and I finally decided get into this thing. My goal is to become a Nature/Wildlife & Fashion photographer some day.
Since I am total ...
7
votes
4answers
269 views
How do I start using a hotshoe flash?
I've just been given a Sigma EF-500 DG ST flash unit. I've not really had much experience using flash. How can I get started? Are there any good learning resources?
8
votes
4answers
4k views
What does 'how much zoom' mean?
I have Canon 18-135 and 70-300 zoom lenses. People ask me how much zoom my camera supports.
What am I supposed to tell them?
"135 ÷ 18 = 7.5" and "300 ÷ 70 = 4.2"?
37
votes
18answers
3k views
What are common beginner mistakes in photography?
What are common mistakes seen in images taken by beginning photographers?
For example, a friend of mine pointed out that the horizon was not straight in one of my images, and now I see it ...
9
votes
3answers
315 views
What resources would help me when I'm getting back into photography?
The last time I did photography I was in high school, shooting black and white photos on film with an old, fully manual Nikkormat, and developing and enlarging them by hand.
The world of photography ...
14
votes
6answers
2k views
What is one “stop”?
I always hear this term, e.g.,
I had to go down one stop
Increasing X by Y raises Z by one stop
I turned down the flash/the light two stops
This lens/sensor/strobe/Photoshop tweak raises X by ...
9
votes
5answers
647 views
Why do fixed lens cameras have a motorized zoom while interchangeable lens cameras don't?
I would like to know why motorized zoom (controlled by a W/T lever) is always on fixed-lens cameras and never on interchangeable lens cameras.
7
votes
2answers
5k views
Are mirror-less cameras good enough to buy instead of a DSLR for home/amateur use?
I'm an amateur photographer looking to buy a camera for my home use. I called myself "photographer" just because I actually can press the button and take a photo! My first digital camera was VGA ...
1
vote
1answer
134 views
What are good resources for learning how to take photos with a DSLR? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
What are good resources for a beginning photographer?
We just upgraded to a DSLR (a Canon T2i Rebel) Since I am used to a point-and-shoot, I have no idea what settings ...
12
votes
2answers
414 views
How do I use the +/- scale of the light meter in my camera?
I have just recently used the metering scale. I assume that if the scale arrow points in the middle, this means that the camera detects that the current exposure settings are the "right" ones.
...
20
votes
3answers
5k views
How can a 18-55mm lens focus on objects beyond 55mm?
I guess this is a total noob question, but doesn't 18-55mm mean that it can focus only up to 55mm?
2
votes
4answers
1k views
What are the benefits of Av vs. Tv vs. Manual exposure modes?
So what's the benefit of using one over the other? The way I understand it, in Av or Tv, you only have to adjust the shutter or aperture, and the rest is done automatically for you...is this correct? ...
7
votes
2answers
2k views
What are the advantages of a lens having a fixed maximum aperture?
What are the advantages of a lens having a Fixed Maximum Aperture? Previous answers have indicated that "pros tend to want constant apertures in zoom lenses".
While in general lenses with a fixed ...
12
votes
7answers
1k views
Is there a difference in the sensor technology in entry level cameras vs. that in pro or semi-pro DSLRs?
Obviously there are differences in everything, both optics-wise and mechanism-wise, but
I would like to know:
Are the materials used to construct sensors (disregarding sensor size) different at any ...
4
votes
2answers
974 views
In body motor and in lens autofocus motor [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
How do camera body motors compare to in-lens motors for focusing?
I am planning to buy a Nikon D5100 camera. However, when I compare it with the Nikon D90, one ...
9
votes
3answers
693 views
How do I use the different shutter speeds my camera offers?
If I use a shutter speed below 1/30 on my Nikon P100, I get extremely dark images which are completely unusable. If I use the flash, it comes out fairly bright but just not natural.
My camera ...
6
votes
3answers
442 views
Does subject isolation only depend on subject distance and focal length, aperture and sensor size remaining equal?
Does subject isolation only depend on subject distance and focal length, aperture and sensor size remaining equal?
From my reading of a question on depth of field, if I take a photo of a subject at ...
5
votes
7answers
372 views
What options are there for a camera that's smaller than a full DSLR, but not a point-and-shoot?
I've been wanting to start taking photos for a while so I am looking to get a camera. I don't want to get any kind of Point-And-Shoot. I was awaiting the coming of the Fuji X100 as I travel very very ...
10
votes
5answers
2k views
What does the f-stop printed on the lens refer to?
I have read this,so I know what an f-stop is, but what does the number on printed the lens signify?
Is this is the maximum f-stop, the ideal, or something else?
8
votes
2answers
1k views
How does 'Tv mode' translate to shutter priority mode?
What do the T and v stand for?
Public-domain image from Wikipedia.
6
votes
3answers
244 views
What are some common gotchas and missed capabilities migrating from compacts to DSLRs
It has been just a couple weeks since I bought an old Nikon D40X after using a Canon SX120IS for a year. The only things I miss so far are the ability to fine adjust the exposure using the back ...
7
votes
2answers
1k views
How can a prime lens focus on more than one plane?
By definition, a prime lens is a fixed lens system with a fixed focal length.
Then, simple physics tells us that it should be able to focus only on one plane (at a fixed distance) in front of it. But ...
12
votes
2answers
568 views
What is Bulb Mode?
My camera has a 'bulb mode,' and several questions on photo-SE refer to using Bulb Mode. A few questions:
What is 'Bulb Mode?'
Why is it called 'Bulb Mode?'
What is 'Bulb Mode used for?
12
votes
5answers
2k views
What are the advantages of using the optical viewfinder over live preview to take photos on a DSLR?
Forgive this novice question, I am basically a complete newbie to photography. Really, all I've ever used for most my of short life have been point-and-shoots; I've only recently started to pick up ...
4
votes
3answers
561 views
Why would one recompose after setting exposure?
I am reading Bryan Peterson's book Understanding Exposure. Quoting text from the book:
I set up my camera and 75-300mm lens on
a tripod. I set my focal length to
130mm and aperture to f/32 and ...
11
votes
4answers
2k views
Why are effective pixels greater than the actual resolution?
This page compares Canon EOS 550D and Canon EOS 500D cameras and mentions
18.7 million effective pixels
for 550D. However the best resolution possible using this camera is
5184 * 3456 = ...
8
votes
3answers
1k views
1
vote
1answer
187 views
Getting started - a photographer noob [duplicate]
Possible Duplicates:
Digital Photography Tutorials
How to start the basics of photography, which is the best entry level SLR camera?
Hi,
I gave it all away in the title :D. I just enjoy ...
4
votes
7answers
934 views
What's a Good All Purpose Compact Lens for a dSLR …?
Following on from an earlier post, I've decided to persevere with the behemoth for a bit and see where it goes. It may lead in the direction of a Canon G11/12 or S90/95 - only time will tell.
In the ...
25
votes
7answers
3k views
When to use shutter priority instead of aperture priority?
Under what circumstances would you use aperture priority vs. shutter priority and vice-versa?
I typically don’t use shutter priority (ever) and favor aperture priority to try to get a max aperture ...
10
votes
7answers
475 views
What are the properties of a camera that affect taking pictures in poor lighting?
I had recently bought a Nikon CoolPix L110, which was stolen a few months later. In searching for a replacement, I'd like to get something that takes better pictures in poor lighting. The zoom on ...
4
votes
7answers
347 views
What research should I do before starting to photograph more?
I have a low end Canon digital camera, and I found my dad's old Sears KS-2 with the standard 50mm lens. I don't know that much about manual photography. I feel like I should do some research and learn ...
6
votes
2answers
1k views
What is the difference between these types of viewfinders?
Rangefinder, Single Lens Reflex, Electronic, LCD (TTL)
3
votes
6answers
221 views
Anyone got some good, simple introductory lens guides?
I want to educate myself and am immersing myself in everything photography-related. I'm picking up the concepts fast because I was a physics major in college (and thus have some background in optics) ...
16
votes
3answers
5k views
How do I predict exposure when using flash?
So I've got the basics down for the exposure triangle, but sometimes you just need to add more light to the room and the flash can be the most convenient way of doing that. The problem is that the ...
20
votes
4answers
485 views
What's “real” and what's “virtual” on a (digital) camera?
I recently upgraded from a standard compact digital camera to one of the newish "halfway cameras", hoping to get a bit better at taking photographs through having a little more control over the ...
15
votes
4answers
2k views
What are general rules for ISO settings?
Being a novice in photography and reading about preferable settings of my camera I'm a little bit confused about ISO settings. Sometimes I'm advised to set as little ISO as possible to have higher ...
