Beyond the Office [Digital Photo Tips - 07/12/2005]

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

July 12th, 2005

Digital Photo Tips

by PC World editors Tracey Capen and Eric Butterfield

Put Yourself in the Shot

Joining your family in a group photo is easy with a wireless shutter
release. Instead of relying on the camera's self-timer, you decide
when to shoot. The Canon PowerShot G6, for example, has such an
option. Here's a review:
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/521703/15377831/973137/0/

Snap Smart on the Go

While traveling, you want to be ready for any photo-taking opportunity
that crops up. When you're far from home--or from a convenience store
for that matter--a little preparedness can go a long way.

MP3 Player Storage: If you own an IPod and haven't stuffed it full of
music files, you can use that empty space to store photos. For
example, Belkin makes two devices that transfer files to an IPod: Its
Digital Camera Link ($80) moves images from a digital camera via a USB
cable, while its Media Reader ($100) transfers files from a media
card.

Belkin Digital Camera Link:
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/521703/15377831/973138/0/

Belkin Media Reader:
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/521703/15377831/973139/0/

Apple offers a similar accessory--the $29 IPod Camera Connector--but
it works only with the IPod Photo:
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/521703/15377831/973140/0/

Power: Always carry a second set of rechargeable batteries. If your
travels involve lots of driving, you can use that time to recharge
your camera's batteries; some camera makers offer car adapters for
doing so. Alternatively, you can use a DC-to-AC power inverter to
power your battery charger and other devices; one such device is the
Xantrex XPower Micro Inverter 175:
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/521703/15377831/973141/0/

If you're visiting a country that doesn't use 120-volt power, you'll
need either a universal power adapter or a battery charger that
includes one, like the Maha PowerEx MH-C204W, which charges AA NiMH
batteries:
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/521703/15377831/973142/0/

Share Your Photos Online

If you take pictures mainly to show them to friends and family, an
online photo-sharing site is a good resource.

Kodak, Hewlett-Packard, and other camera manufacturers provide
software for uploading photos to online albums. Both Kodak's EasyShare
and HP's Instant Share software make it easy to post images and then
e-mail a link to friends, but Kodak's service added a couple hurdles
for recipients: To print photos I received via Kodak EasyShare, I
first had to create a sign-in and download Kodak Print@Home software.
Unfortunately, the software would not work with my regular browser,
Mozilla Firefox; I had to use Internet Explorer. I detailed my
travails in my June "Print Shop" column:
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/521703/15377831/973143/0/

Other online services, including Snapfish and Flickr, allow you to
share photos--often free of charge. Some services also provide a chat
feature, a blogging tool, or camera-phone support. For a more detailed
comparison of options, read "Better Photo Sharing":
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/521703/15377831/973144/0/

Set the Scene Mode

Scene modes can be your best bet for capturing a pleasing shot with a
simple point-and-shoot camera--or if you haven't yet mastered your
fancier camera's manual controls. The array of scene modes varies from
camera to camera, but most models have a similar base set.

Portrait mode: Uses a wider aperture and spot-focus to make the person
look sharply focused against a blurred background; a fill flash
prevents harsh shadows on your subject's face. A few cameras also
adjust color balance for more accurate skin tones.

Landscape mode: Sets the focus to infinity and uses the minimum
aperture for maximum depth of field.

Macro/close-up mode: Often depicted with a flower icon; lets you place
the lens close to a small subject.

Sports mode: A fast shutter speed freezes movement; continuous
shooting mode is usually specified.

Kids and pets mode: Uses a fast shutter because small creatures may
not follow your directives to stay still.

Nighttime: Uses a slow shutter to better capture dim evening light;
hold the camera very still.

Fireworks: Focus is set to infinity, and the shutter to a slow speed;
using a tripod is recommended.

Other modes: Some cameras have foliage, snow, and underwater modes.
The Casio EX-Z57 has one for sunsets; it emphasizes red hues.

Swiveling LCD: Unique Angles

A few camera vendors, including Olympus and Canon, put a swiveling LCD
on some higher-end models. The Olympus C-5060, for example, has an LCD
that rotates up and spins 180 degrees as does the LCD on the Olympus
C-7070. Here are reviews:

Olympus C-5060:
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/521703/15377831/973145/0/

Olympus C-7070:
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/521703/15377831/973146/0/

I love this feature: At parties I face the LCD downward, and then hold
the camera over my head to get a bird's-eye shot. This feature is
equally useful for wildflower photography. Facing the LCD upward, I
don't have lie on my belly to get great shots of tiny alpine flowers.

Get High-Quality Video

In addition to taking photographs, most digital cameras can record
video. They won't match the quality of a camcorder; but if you plan to
record a lot of video clips, you should look for a model capable of
recording at a high resolution and high frame rate. For example, the
Nikon Coolpix 8400 can record at 640 by 480 pixels (many models max
out at just 320 by 240) at 30 frames per second. Here's a review:
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/521703/15377831/973147/0/

Video recorded at a lower frame rate may not look as good when played
back: For example, when recording video at 640 by 480, the Kodak Z740
captures 13 frames per second. Our Product Finder has pricing and
specs:
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/521703/15377831/973148/0/

Also, some cameras don't record audio while capturing video at higher
resolutions, and few models will zoom while recording video.

This week's newsletter was taken from "Choose the Perfect Camera," in
our July issue. For help finding the right type of digital camera for
your needs, read the full story:
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/521703/15377831/973149/0/

For more digital photography tips and product reviews, go to the PC
World Info Center for digital cameras:
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/521703/15377831/973150/0/


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"I don't feel the need to be famous. It's all bullshit anyway....Having people around me just because I'm famous makes me feel really bad about myself. So I give 10% to my agent to do the fame thing, and I go focus on whatever I love."
-- Jessica Alba