How to use a Digital Camera
1.
Why go digital?
2.
What are some of the reasons to use
digital photographs?
·
Going
digital saves you money in the long run since you don't have to buy rolls of
film and pay for their development and printing.
·
It saves
you time because you don't have to make two trips to the store to drop off and
then pick up your pictures (although you can do this with the memory card).
·
Digital
cameras instantly show you how your pictures look so you'll no longer have
those disappointments a day or two later when your film is developed.
·
You can
view images before they are printed and if you don't like what you see, edit
them to perfection or save money by deleting or not printing them.
·
Digital
photography doesn't use the toxic chemicals that often end up flowing down the
drain and into our streams, rivers, and lakes.
·
No more
waiting to finish a roll before having it processed. (Or wasting unexposed film
when you can't wait.)
·
Many
digital cameras are able to capture not only still photographs, but also sound
and even video—they are as much multimedia recorders as they are cameras.
·
You can
use a photo-editing program to improve or alter digital images. For example,
you can crop them, remove red-eye, change colours or contrast, and even add and
delete elements. It's like having a darkroom with the lights on and without the
chemicals.
3.
What is a digital photograph?
4.
What are Pixels?
A digital photo is made up of a series of pixels (picture
elements). Most of today’s digital photos use a “24 bit RGB” system to colour
each pixel. This means that each pixel has a 256 colour gradation of red, green
and blue. For instance the colour orange is 255 Red, 102 Green and 0 Blue and
light pink is 255 Red, 153 Green and 204 Blue. This system can produce 16
million colours which approximates what the human eye can perceive. To confuse
things, many modern computers will show a screen colour of “32 bit” – this is
just 24 bit RGB plus an alpha (transparency) channel. Older computers will
generally show their highest setting as 24 bit (Truecolor). Either way, to properly
view your 24 bit RGB digital images, you should have your computer set to
either 24 or 32 bit (whatever highest display setting is offered). For more
information about different modes of colour see the page about Digital Colour Models.
The dimensions of a digital photo are expressed in terms of
its pixels, for instance “800 x 600” or “1520 x 1280” where the first number is
the width of the photo and the second number the height of the photo. The term
pixel is also used for the image sensor elements on a digital camera.
5. What is the relationship between the number of pixels and quality
of the image?
Resolution
of a Digital Image
As noted above, the
"size" of a digital image is its total number of pixels, expressed as
megapixels and this size is the resolution of the image. But why is the total
number of pixels a measure of "resolution"? The reason is that more
pixels over a fixed field of view equal higher resolution. For instance, if the
field of view is 20 feet across, a 3 megapixel camera will be resolving that
view at 102 pixels per foot. If that same shot was taken with an 18 MP camera
it would be resolving that view at 259 pixels per foot, 2.5 times more
resolution than a 3 MP camera.
Quality
of a Digital Image
The resolution of a digital
image is one of several factors that determine the quality of a digital photo.
There are four main factors that work together to create digital photo quality:
The quality of the recording
device (camera's optics & sensor, scanner's sensor).
The size (in pixels) of the
digital image.
The digital format it is stored
in (lossless vs. lossy compression).
The technical proficiency and
the "eye" of the photographer.
These factors all work together
and it's why we can't overly generalize. This is especially true when it comes
to printing digital photos and why there is so much discussion about how many
pixels per inch are required to achieve "photographic quality." An 8 MP
photo taken with an inexpensive compact camera at high ISO and stored as a
moderately compressed JPEG and then printed at 300 pixels per inch is going to
look a lot worse than an 8 MP photo taken with a high quality digital SLR,
stored as a TIF or low compressed JPEG and printed at 200 pixels per inch.
The three steps of digital photography
Explain the three basic steps involved in creating and using digital
photographs and briefly give examples.
Digital cameras are just one link in a long chain leading
from the original scene through to the final image that you display or
distribute. In fact, a digital camera isn't even an absolutely necessary link
in the chain. The key element in digital photography is an image in a digital
format made up pixels. Although a digital camera captures photos in this
digital format, you can also scan slides, negatives, or prints to convert these
traditional images into the same digital format.
To understand how the camera fits in with other parts of the
digital photography system, it helps to understand the three basic steps
involved in creating and using digital photographs-input, processing, and
output.
6.
Step 1.
Inputting photographs
Input devices get photographs or other data into a computer system. The
input device you're probably most familiar with is the keyboard. However, there
are hundreds of other input devices including mice, touch pads, voice
recognition systems, scanners, and so on. Here are some of the input devices
you can use to create digital photographs:
Digital still cameras capture photographs in a digital format.
Film cameras capture photographs on slides, negatives, or prints which
you can then scan to convert them to digital photographs.
Video cameras capture images in a video format. You can then use a frame
grabber to isolate out individual frames and save them as still images.
Digital video cameras sometimes are able to capture still images just
like a digital still. You can also use a video-editing card to extract still
images from the digital video.
7.
Step 2.
Processing photographs
Once a photograph is in digital form, you can store it on your system
and then edit or manipulate it with a photo-editing program such as Photoshop.
The things you can do to a digital image are almost endless. In some cases you
improve an image by eliminating or reducing its flaws. In other cases, you
adjust an image for other purposes, perhaps to make it smaller for e-mailing or
posting on a Web site. Finally, you might take an image to a new place, making
it something it never was. Here are just a few of the ways you can process
images:
- Crop the photograph to emphasize the key part.
- Reduce the number of pixels in an image to
make it smaller for posting on the Web or e-mailing.
- Use filters to sharpen it or even make it look
like a watercolour or oil painting.
- Stitch together multiple frames to create
panoramas.
- Merge two images to create a 3D stereo effect,
or an animated image for display on the Web.
- Change brightness and contrast to improve the
image.
- Cut and paste parts of one image into another
to create a photo montage.
- Convert the photograph to another format.
8.
Step 3. Outputting photographs
Once an image is the way you want it, you can output it to share with
others. There are lots of ways to display and distribute digital photographs.
Here are some of the most popular ways:
1. Print the image on a colour printer or send it to an on-line service
to print it on silver-based paper just like that used with film cameras.
2. Insert the photograph into a word processing or desktop publishing
document.
3. Post the photograph on a Web site or a photo network.
4. E-mail the photograph to friends or family members.
5. Send the photo to a service on the Web for specialty printing onto
T-shirts, posters, key rings, mouse pads, even cakes and cookies.
6. Store the photograph on your system for later use.
7. Use a film recorder to convert the photograph into a slide that you
can project with a slide projector.
9.
How a digital camera works? How similar is a digital camera to a
traditional camera?
Digital
cameras are very much like all earlier cameras. Beginning with the very first
camera all have been basically black boxes with a lens to gather the light, a
wheel you turned to focus the image, an aperture that determines how bright the
light is, and a shutter that determines how long the light enters.
The
big difference between traditional film cameras and digital cameras is how they
capture the image. Instead of film, digital cameras use a solid-state device
called an image sensor. In some digital cameras the image sensor is a
charge-coupled device (CCD), while in others it's a CMOS sensor. Both types can
give very good results. On the surface of these fingernail-sized silicon chips
are millions of photosensitive diodes, each of which captures a single pixel in
the photograph to be.
When you take a picture the shutter opens briefly and
each pixel on the image sensor records the brightness of the light that falls
on it by accumulating an electrical charge. The more light that hits a pixel,
the higher the charge it records. Pixels capturing light from highlights in the
scene will have high charges. Those capturing light from shadows will have low
charges.
After the shutter closes to end the exposure, the
charge from each pixel is measured and converted into a digital number. This
series of numbers is then used to reconstruct the image by setting the colour
and brightness of matching pixels on the screen or printed page.
10.What is hand-colouring?
What is the history behind hand colouring? Why was it used?
What is the history behind hand colouring? Why was it used?
Hand-colouring has been used to add colour since the invention of photography.
Used primarily to add colour to black and white formal portraits,
hand-colouring for this purpose went into a serious decline in the 1950's. This
co-incited, not surprisingly, with the emergence of colour photography in the
1950's.
Still, the art form survived to
re-emerge in the 1960's. It soon became part of the mainstream advertising and
fashion photography of the time when it was rediscovered by a new generation of
photographers, primarily in the United States.
The medium makes a serious statement
against the use of "cold" computer manipulation. Those in the
computer industry who makes a living doing this will probably differ from this
standpoint, and I respect that. There's a market out there for computer
manipulated stuff. Hell, I even manipulate the pics on these web pages so that
they look the same on screen as in real life!
What hand-colouring offers is not so much
the versatility of Photoshop of Paint Shop Pro in terms of the possible effects
these programs can produce, but rather the ability to fine-tune colour and
effects to a degree that I'm not sure is possible in the digital media.
As such, it is infinitely more
satisfying to me to see a picture shape before my eyes. It is probably far more
relaxing and less frustrating than working on screen, having to print an image
later and only then being able to see whether your work of art is the same that
on the screen.
The Technique
There are very few art
forms that include so many disciplines as hand-tinting. Problem is, you
unfortunately have to be pretty damn good at all of them to have satisfactory
results. They are:
- Creating
an arresting photographic image
- Stunning
printing
- Subtle
toning
- Selective
oil application
Creating an arresting
image Think through
your lens. When you take a picture, think about the fact that you will add
colour to it later. Decide whether there's anything in there worth colouring
later before you take the shot. Hand-colouring doesn't fit any picture - you
have to have the right surfaces in the shot to take colour. For instance, if
the shot is dark, in other words having very few light sections, your colour
simply won't show.
Stunning printing some books advocate dark, dramatic prints. I don't like them for
the very reason described above. Lighter areas colour better, so don't overdo
it on the contrast bit. I tend to go for a grade 2 filter as a standard for my
shots. Make sure your hands are perfectly dry when handling unexposed paper, as
the toning process later enhances any chemical smudges on the white edges.
Subtle toning Toning with an off-the-shelf toning kit works perfectly fine
provided you use the right paper. RC (resin-coated) papers doesn't colour very
easily. Use fibre-based (FB) paper as they tone better and offer more grip for
your oils. Also don't overdo the toning, as the brown hue can be overpowering.
Be prepared to experiment. Do more than one print of one frame, using one as a
back-up, toning it less and also colouring it differently as a comparison.
Selective oil application this section is entirely up to you and your taste. The beauty of using colouring oils is that you can wipe the whole lot off and start again if you're not happy. But always "under-colour" - that is stop before you spoil the print with too much colour. But that's my preference. Play around. It's safe. But only as long as you restrict you’re playing to painting!
Selective oil application this section is entirely up to you and your taste. The beauty of using colouring oils is that you can wipe the whole lot off and start again if you're not happy. But always "under-colour" - that is stop before you spoil the print with too much colour. But that's my preference. Play around. It's safe. But only as long as you restrict you’re playing to painting!
Types of digital cameras
9. Point and shoot cameras
A point-and-shoot camera, also called a compact camera, is a still camera
designed
primarily for simple operation. Most use focus free lenses or autofocus for focusing, automatic systems for
setting the exposure options,
and have flash units
built in.
10. Prosumer cameras
The
term "prosumer" is a cross between professional and consumer. When a
camera is dubbed a prosumer model, it usually refers to a point-and-shoot that
has advanced features such as manual exposure control and RAW format image
capture. Such cameras are usually targeted at enthusiasts.
11. Professional
Cameras
Professional DSLR cameras are not for the
casual photographer; they are designed for those who shoot photos for news
stories, or of sports or wildlife for a living. They're not just for
professionals, but also the hard rain-or-shine shutterbugs that refuse to leave
the house without a camera. Although these advanced cameras are more expensive
than most digital cameras, they are a great investment in the long run.
Here are
some benefits to owning a professional DSLR camera:
- More creative
control: These cameras include a broad array of manual settings, allowing
photographers to frame pictures exactly as they want to. Professional DSLR
users love to have the option for full manual or auto focus and automated
exposure settings. Although many point-and-shoot cameras have similar
manual settings, these features are limited compared to those on a
professional DSLR.
- Faster shutter
speed: All digital cameras have shutter lag, which is the time between
pressing the button and the camera capturing the photograph. These
image-capturing devices have a significantly shorter shutter lag than
point-and-shoot cameras do.
- Interchangeable
lenses: Interchangeable lenses provide photographers with more
versatility, and most professional DSLR manufacturers have a wide range of
lens options available for their cameras.
- Viewfinder for better
framing: Looking through a viewfinder rather than an LCD screen provides
better framing.
Speciality Cameras
12. These sorts of specialty cameras have
recently come on the market. Describe
some of their advantages and special features.
The 3D-Cam FPV uses two cameras to generate field-sequential 3D video which is compatible with most commercial 3D equipment. This video signal can be transmitted using standard NTSC video transmitters and can be recorded using a standard VCR or DVD recorder. Using 3D capable video glasses (like the EVG920 we are offering to our customers) or LCD shutter glasses and a CRT (or 120Hz LCD) allows viewers to experience the scene in life-like 3D. The depth perception provided by this 3D technology is a real asset when piloting aircraft remotely.
The 3D-Cam FPV comes with sophisticated
software which allows the FPV flier to set certain parameters like Exposure and
3D convergence even in flight. Imagine that you are flying late in the evening
when the sun is really low on orbit. Flying toward the sun is a real challenge
because with most of the cameras the ground becomes very dark. With the 3D-Cam
FPV you just turn toward the ground, the AGC will react and lit the ground up;
you flip a switch to lock in the Exposure and from there on your ground are
clearly lit.
3D viewing is not much help when
you are very high above the ground, but when you are coming in for landing - or
you are flying close to trees, bushes, objects - it can be a real bonus. The
depth of the 3D viewing (convergence) can also be adjusted in flight - as well
as you can switch between 2D and 3D modes in flight. All is required an empty
channel on your receiver.
The 2 cameras are at a 65mm
distance which corresponds to the standard distance of the human eye.
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Image Storage
13. Describe
how digital cameras store their images.
How does my digital camera store the pictures
I take?
Your
digital camera stores the pictures you take on the memory card. So remember,
the light comes through the lens, through the computer in the camera, and off
to the memory card. The camera creates a folder in the memory card. So, when
you take the memory card out of the camera, put it into your computer into the
card reader, the first thing you'll see is the DCIM folder, and you'll click on
that. Then, you'll click on the next folder which will be where the actual
pictures are. You click on that, and then all the pictures will open up for you
and you'll get to see them.
How does my digital camera compress my
photos?
In
your digital camera, when you take a picture, the file can be quite large and
cumbersome. So, the digital cameras compress the file. What that means is that
mathematically they eliminate some data, which it rebuilds again in the
computer. That's image compression. The most popular way to do compression is
with a JPEG file. It's a mathematical algorithm that preserves a great deal of
the quality of your picture and makes a very popular file format for normal
photographers to use.
What are the differences between photo
formats?
In
your digital camera you have the choice of three file formats that you're going
to use. JPEG which is what I recommend for most people for most photographers.
RAR which is what serious photographer and the computer friendly people. And
finally TIF which use to be a big popular format but kind of fallen by the
wayside today. Let's talk about why you would use one or the other. The
advantage of a JPEG file is the image comes right out of the camera onto the
memory card. You can put it in any computer anywhere and look at it. It's
really cool, because JPEG's are universal between MAC and Windows. I can send a
JPEG to China, Japan I don't care and everybody can look at it as a picture. If
I shot a RAR picture, the RAR picture is specific to my camera. So if I have a
Nikon D2, or a Canon 3D or whatever camera the RAR pictures I make are specific
to that camera and I must use a piece of to convert that RAR data into a
picture. So if I shoot with RAR, I can't send you my file unless I work at it
in the computer first. That's the definition of RAR. Why is RAR better? Because
in the computer I have the opportunity to correct the image, to make some
changes to the image without any lose in picture quality. One of the difficult
things today is to make the picture look on my screen like it does on your
screen, when I send it to you, and I know for a fact that TIF is very difficult
that way so that's why TIF is kind of going by the wayside. RAR and JPEG are
the top file formats today.
How many pictures can a digital camera's
memory card hold?
It
depends on a couple of things. Number one; how many mega pixels are the camera?
Number two; how big is the memory card? And number three; what file format do
you use? And if you use the best jpeg, which I'll call JPEG Fine, the image
size on the memory card is roughly half the mega pixels of your camera. So if
I'm in JPEG Fine, which is always where I recommend that you shoot, with an 8
mega pixel camera, that means the pictures are going to be approximately 4 megabytes
on the card. If I shoot with a raw file format, the pictures are roughly two
times the mega pixels of the camera. So if I have an 8 mega pixel camera, raw
files are sixteen megabytes. If I shoot with a TIFF, the files are roughly
three times the mega pixels, so a TIFF file would be 24 megabytes on the card.
So let's say we have a 1 giga byte card, with our 8 mega pixel camera, so 1
giga byte means 1,000 megabytes, so with a Fine JPEG, those pictures are 4 megabytes
a piece. On our 1 giga byte card we stored 25. If we use a raw file those
pictures are 16 megabytes a piece. We're going to get about 125 pictures on a 1
giga byte card. If we're shooting TIFFs, they're 24 megabytes a piece; we're
going to get roughly 400 pictures on a 1 giga byte card. That's how you figure
out how many pictures you get on your memory card.
14. Name some of the popular makes of Flash
cards on the market. What are their
features?
Memory cards are
a popular storage medium
for many of today's consumer electronics devices, including digital cameras, cell phones, handheld devices and
other small electronic devices. Flash memory is
non-volatile, which is the memory card will not lose its data when removed
from the device, and the cards can also be erased or reformatted and reused.
For most consumers,
when buying a memory card you have to consider price, capacity and
compatibility. Some devices will support up
to a specific size of memory card, and a specific type
of memory card as well. It’s important to read the
information that came with your device to ensure you purchase a memory card
that will work in your device.
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There are a few major
types of memory cards that can be
used in common electronics, such as a digital camera. Each of these types of
memory cards are different sizes and, as the technology progresses further,
we see that over time the cards have become smaller in physical size but grow
larger in logical size.
Common
Types of Memory Cards
PCMCIA (Personal
Computer Memory Card International Association)
The PCMCIA standard has been expanded several times and are suitable for many types of devices. There are three types of PCMCIA cards. All three have the same rectangular size (85.6 by 54 millimetres), but different widths:
·
Type I cards can be up to 3.3 mm thick, and
are used primarily for adding additional ROM or RAM to a computer.
·
Type II cards can be up to 5.5 mm thick.
These cards are often used for modem and fax modem cards.
·
Type III cards can be up to 10.5 mm thick,
which is sufficiently large for portable disk drives.
|
CompactFlash (CF)
Invented by SanDisk
Corporation in 1994, CompactFlash cards can support 3.3V and 5V operation and
can switch between the two, in contrast to other small-form factor flash memory
cards that can operate only at one voltage. The card was designed based on the
PCMCIA PC Card standard and can fit into a PCMCIA slot with an adapter. There
are two types of CompactFlash cards to accommodate different capacities:
·
Type I cards are 42.8mm x 36.4mm x 3.3 mm thick
·
Type II cards are 42.8mm x 36.4mm x 5.5 mm thick.
Secure Digital Card (SD card)
SD cards are used in
many small portable devices such as digital video camcorders,
digital cameras, handheld computers, audio players and mobile phones. In use
since 1999, SD Memory Cards are now available in capacities between 16
Megabytes and 1 Gigabyte, and still growing. An SD card typically measures 32
mm x 24 mm x 2.1 mm and weighs approximately 2grams.
MiniSD Card
After the success of the
SD Card (Secure Digital Card), the miniSD Memory Card was developed to meet the
demands of the mobile phone market. The MiniSD Card provides the same benefits
as the SD Card, but is smaller than the original SD Card. MiniSD Cards are
typically found in many newer mobile phones with features such as built-in
digital cameras, downloading and games, basically the mobile phones where the
miniSD can meet the requirements for
increased data storage. MiniSD cards are 21.5 mm x 20 mm x 1.4 mm and generally
provide 16MB to 256MB of storage.
Micro SD
Mainly used in mobile
phones and other small handheld devices the Micro SD format is currently
available in capacities up to 4GB, and it roughly 1/4th the size of the SD card
at 15mm W 11mm W 0.7mm. The Micro SD card is also the smallest memory card
available.
Card adapters can be
purchased that enable backwards compatibility — this would allow Micro SD cards
to work in SD and MiniSD slots, and also for Micro SD cards to work in SD card
slots.
Multimedia Card (MMC)
The Multimedia Card
(MMC) standard was introduced by SanDisk and Siemens in 1997. The card itself
is 32 mm x 24 mm x 1.4mm and is often used in place of the SD card. Transfer
speeds of a MMC are around 2.5MB/s and they can often be used in SD Card
readers.
Sony Memory Sticks
Sony Memory Sticks are
light, compact and designed for a wide variety of devices including digital
cameras, recorders, and more. With the use of an adapter most Sony Memory
Sticks can be used with almost all Memory Stick PRO compatible products.
·
Memory Stick Micro (M2): 15 mm x 12.5 mm x 1.2 mm
·
Memory Stick PRO: 50 mm x 21.5 mm x 2.8 mm. The
Memory Stick PRO format has an 8-bit parallel interface with theoretical
transfer rates up to 480Mb/s. It is commonly used in high megapixel digital
cameras and digital camcorders.
·
Memory Stick PRO DUO:
31 mm x 20 mm x 1.6 mm. The Memory Stick PRO Duo media is about one-third the volume and half the weight of standard-size media, but offers all the advanced functions of Memory Stick PRO media.
31 mm x 20 mm x 1.6 mm. The Memory Stick PRO Duo media is about one-third the volume and half the weight of standard-size media, but offers all the advanced functions of Memory Stick PRO media.
Smart Media
Introduced by Toshiba in
1995 the Smart Media cards are now considered obsolete despite its popular
usage for five years. Smart Media cards are 45 mm x 37 mm x 0.76 mm and could
be found in their peak times in 16MB, 32MB, and 128MB versions. Even as an
obsolete card, it is still sought after by users of older devices which cannot
use memory cards larger than 128MB.
XD-Picture Card
Abbreviated as XD
(Extreme Digital), the xD-Picture Card is a type of removable flash memory
designed for use in digital cameras. The XD is ultra-compact with its size of
20mm x 25mm x 1.7mm. The xD-Picture Card was developed by Fuji film and Olympus
and is used in many models of digital cameras made by Olympus and Fujifilm.
Lifespan and Care Tips
Memory cards are quite sturdy and you can expect cards to be capable of working through more than one million data write/read/erase cycles. The card itself has its weakest point at its socket connectors, which are used when you remove and reinsert the memory card into a device. You can expect a memory card to be capable of withstanding around 10,000 insertions. These numbers, of course, will differ slightly between manufacturers.
Like with any consumer
electronic or device, proper care is required by the users to meet the lifespan
of the device. You should avoid applying too much pressure on your memory
cards, and never drop or bend the card either. When the correct memory card is
being used in a device, it will fit into the slot only in one direction and it
will easily slide and click into place. You should never have to apply any
amount of pressure to make the card fit. Memory cards should also be kept away
from electrostatic sources and should never be introduced to direct sunlight or
extreme ranges of temperatures.
Lastly, damaging the
card or the data contained on it can happen if you try to eject the card from
the device or card reader, or if you try and turn the device off while you are
transferring the data to or from the memory card. So definitely avoid doing
that to protect your data and card it.
Memory Cards - Info about Different Types
The
different types of flash memory cards for use in digital cameras are: Secure
Digital (SD), CompactFlash (CF), Memory Stick (MS), Multimedia Card (MMC)
xD-Picture Card (XD) and Smart Media (SM).The type of memory card you use is
dictated by which digital camera you buy. These cards are physically different
and are -not- interchangeable. NOTE --- NOTE --- NOTE --- NOTE --- NOTE ---
NOTE --- NOTE --- NOTE eBay has become notorious for "fake memory
card" sales, thousands of people have been scammed by sellers who are
selling inferior or lower capacity cards that have been relabelled and
repackaged to look like the real thing. Buyers beware - I recommend that you
purchase your cards only from reputable online vendors or brick and mortar
stores. If you must buy on eBay then check out this page at Overclockers.com.au for ways to visually
identify some (not all) of the most popular fake cards.
High-Capacity CF & SD Cards
Today's choices
in flash memory storage devices for digital cameras and other devices are
mind-boggling. It's no wonder the consumer
is totally confused. Just figuring out
which options your camera should have is tough enough. Then you discover that
there are all kinds of memory storage options -- Smart Media (SM), CompactFlash
(CF), Memory Stick (MS), Multimedia Card (MMC), Secure Digital (SD), eXtreme
Digital (XD), Microdrive ... and none of them are compatible with the others.
Only recently have Secure Digital, Memory Stick and XD cards gotten above the
1GB capacity mark --CompactFlash (CF) devices offer capacities of up to 12
Gigabytes, they're the main focus of this report. We are also expanding our SD
card coverage - SD cards are now the most popular flash media type and getting
bigger (up to 32GB) and faster (up to 150x speed and beyond) all the time!
Downloading images, what to plug in
15. Explain the process of downloading? What are some of ways of transferring images to the computer?
15. Explain the process of downloading? What are some of ways of transferring images to the computer?
Copying Pictures from your digital camera to your computer
STOP: Before you go any
further, you need to know the basics of how your computer stores and
organizes files. This topic is not a “camera” topic;
it’s a really important part of understanding your computer. There are several
excellent explanations in your computer’s Windows HELP files, and the
Windows for Dummies book series explains files very well.
To your computer, that beautiful picture you took is a file made up of
0s and 1s. Before you can do anything with that picture, you want to get that
file onto the hard drive.
The process can be called “uploading”
or “downloading” but it’s really just a process of copying the
computer file(s) from your camera to your computer.
Copying
pictures from camera to computer using Windows XP
- DO
NOT USE THE SOFTWARE PACKAGED WITH YOUR CAMERA.
- The
easiest program to copy picture files from one place to another came with
your computer. It’s called “My Computer”
- Turn
off your camera and remove the memory card.
- Insert
the memory card in a card reader, either one that’s built into
the computer or a separate one.
- To
open My Computer, click Start, and then click My
Computer
- The
memory card shows up as a removable disk in “My Computer”
- Left
click on that removable disk to find a folder called DCIM (Digital Camera Images)
- The
files in that folder are your pictures, and their names end in “jpg”
- Copy
those files by selecting them and copying them. The keyboard shortcut
(control-A) marks all the photos in a folder and the keyboard shortcut
(control-C) copies them to the computer’s clipboard.
- Navigate
to the folder within “My Documents” named “My Pictures” and paste
(control-V) your photos into place.
- Learn
how to make new subfolders within the master folder “My Pictures” so that
it’s easier to find a photo you want. I make up folders with names like
“2007March” and divide my photos by the month taken.
- After
you copy files or folders to the hard drive, it is useful to view the hard
drive to confirm that the files are copied.
- Do
not erase photos from your memory card until you are positive you’ve saved
them on the hard drive!
Using the
camera as a source, instead of a card reader (but we really, really suggest
using a card reader)
- You
can copy photo files directly from your camera to the computer. Use the
USB cable that came with the camera.
- Very
important: make sure that your batteries have a full
charge before you start this procedure.
- If
the power fails during the transfer, data will be corrupted.
- Be
very careful when inserting the USB cable connector into the socket of the
camera. This is one of the most fragile components of the camera and we
have seen cameras damaged by carelessness.
- After
you copy files or folders to the hard drive, it is useful to view the hard
drive to confirm that the files are copied.
- For
the greatest safety of your irreplaceable images, make a second copy on
CD, DVD or detachable hard drive.
Image Sensors
16.
In your own words, what is resolution? Describe the importance of image
quality.
Resolution is the number of pixels used to display an
image. The higher the resolution is the more pixels it will have making it a
clearer and better picture.
17.
What is a megapixel? How does it
relate to the quality of the photo?
A
megapixel is equal to one million pixels. The higher the megapixel would result
in a better image resolution.
Digital camera file formats
18. Summarise in your own words some of the basic formats your digital camera offers and why would you choose them.
Some of the basic formats that my digital camera offers
include:
·
Setting the still image size
·
Image size and quality
·
Deleting images
·
Viewing images on the screen of the
camera
·
Viewing images on a TV screen
·
Exposure, Focus, Flash, Color,
Burst, Zoom, Shutter speed and aperture
·
Video recording
·
Date, Time, Self-Timer
·
Twilight, Portrait and Landscape
modes
·
Connecting the camera to a printer
I would choose all different formats for different photo
shots and once I work out my camera I will be able to elaborate more.
Preview screens & viewfinders
19. What is the difference between a preview screen and a viewfinder? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each?
Traditional
cameras use viewfinders which allow you to set up your shot and, in
the case of Single Lens Reflex (SLR) cameras, focus your subject.
Viewfinders can also be found on digital cameras, but in addition,
almost every digital camera is equipped with a LCD preview screen.
The preview screen can also be used to set up shots, so you may be
wondering why both are needed. The simple reason is that the preview screen
consumes battery power, so if you want to extend your battery life use the
viewfinder instead of the preview screen for composing shots.
Another reason for using the viewfinder is that LCD screens can be
difficult to see in bright sunlight. There are many other uses for preview
screens, however, and they are essential for most digital photographers.
Preview Screens
If you are running out of space on your memory
card and wish to take a few shots more, previewing saved images allows
you to pick out pictures which can be deleted. Some cameras have a thumbnail
function which allows you to view many shots at once. This makes it easy to
zero in on one particular photograph.
For those who print pictures directly from the camera, the preview
screen allows you to select which picture should be printed. Some cameras even
have basic editing functions which allow you to crop images and adjust colour
and brightness before printing them. These functions can be accessed with the
LCD preview screen.
Viewfinder
If your digital camera has a traditional style viewfinder, it should be
used for most of your picture taking. As we mentioned above, using the
viewfinder instead of the LCD preview screen will save on battery power. It
will also allow you to hold the camera steadier and move the camera smoothly
for action shots. Photographers who wear glasses can get a camera with a dioptre
adjustment -- this adjusts the lens of the viewfinder so that you don't have to
wear glasses when shooting pictures.
There are some situations, however, when using the preview screen
instead of the viewfinder is recommended.
The viewfinder is slightly offset from the lens. In most situations this
is not a problem, but for close-up shots there can be a noticeable difference
between what the lens sees and what the viewfinder sees. The preview screen
allows you to precisely compose close-up shots because it shows exactly what
the lens sees.
Another time it is better to use the preview screen is when shooting
objects close to the ground. This saves you from having to get into an awkward
position in order to set up the shot.
Through the Lens Viewfinder
Some of the more expensive digital cameras have a viewfinder which is
connected to the lens with a prism. This allows you to see exactly what the
lens sees. A variation on this type of viewfinder is the electronic viewfinder
(EVF). This is a miniature LCD display which collects light from the lens area.
As you are setting up a shot you can also see all of the camera's menus. This
lets you change camera settings as you are viewing a scene for immediate
feedback. Used in conjunction with a dioptre adjustment, this saves the photographer
using reading glasses in order to adjust the camera.
"LIVE VIEW" means you can see the
scene as it happens through the liquid crystal screen of the digital camera.
In some point and shoot cameras there is no optical
viewfinder to see through, so your only view is the LCD screen. In this
case live view is
necessary.
In cameras with an optical viewfinder, such as a DSLR - digital single lens reflex camera, live view is not absolutely necessary.
In cameras with an optical viewfinder, such as a DSLR - digital single lens reflex camera, live view is not absolutely necessary.
As for the Advantages:
~ For macro shots - close up actual or larger size
photos- live view shows
exactly what will be in the photo.
~ When the camera is mounted on a tripod, you can watch the led screen without putting an eye up to the camera and more easily use a remote shutter release.
~ By watching the led screen, it is not necessary to put the camera up to your eye, and children usually do not know you are taking their picture. This can give more spontaneous results.
~ When focusing without actually shooting, you can be sure of the focus by watching live view. If there is a failure to focus, it will show up.
~ With live view you can see the scene the way the camera sensor sees it.
~ When the camera is mounted on a tripod, you can watch the led screen without putting an eye up to the camera and more easily use a remote shutter release.
~ By watching the led screen, it is not necessary to put the camera up to your eye, and children usually do not know you are taking their picture. This can give more spontaneous results.
~ When focusing without actually shooting, you can be sure of the focus by watching live view. If there is a failure to focus, it will show up.
~ With live view you can see the scene the way the camera sensor sees it.
As for the Disadvantages;
If live view shows on the led screen, battery life will be shorter as the led screen will draw more power when lit.
If you are presbyopia or have a full correction for
myopia with glasses or contact lenses, you may not be able to see the led
screen close up.
The led screen may not be visible in full sunlight.
Some but not all cameras have problems with the
picture sensor overheating while using live view.
Finally, many aspiring photographers consider
using live view less skilful
or "less professional" than using the optical viewfinder. This could
be considered a matter of preference.
Automatic Mode
I
suspect no one will need any introduction to this mode (as it seems most
digital camera owners use it). Auto mode tells your camera to use its best
judgement to select shutter speed, aperture, ISO, white balance, focus and
flash to take the best shot that it can. With some cameras auto mode lets you
override flash or change it to red eye reduction. This mode will give you nice
results in many shooting conditions, however you need to keep in mind that
you’re not telling your camera any extra information about the type of shot
you’re taking so it will be ‘guessing’ as to what you want. As a result some of
the following modes might be more appropriate to select as they give your
camera a few more hints (without you needing to do anything more).
Read more:
Read more:
Portrait Mode
When you
switch to portrait mode your camera will automatically select a large aperture
(small number) which helps to keep your background out of focus (i.e. it sets a
narrow depth of field – ensuring your subject is the only thing in focus and is
therefore the centre of attention in the shot). Portrait mode works best when
you’re photographing a single subject so get in close enough to your subject
(either by zooming in or walking closer) so that your photographing the head
and shoulders of them). Also if you’re shooting into the sun you might want to
trigger your flash to add a little light onto their face
Read more:
Read more:
Macro Mode
Macro
mode lets you move you’re closer into your subject to take a close up picture.
It’s great for shooting flowers, insects or other small objects. Different
digital cameras will have macro modes with different capabilities including
different focussing distances (usually between 2-10cm for point and shoot
cameras). When you use macro mode you’ll notice that focussing is more
difficult as at short distances the depth of field is very narrow (just millimetres
at times). Keep your camera and the object you’re photographing parallel if
possible or you’ll find a lot of it will be out of focus. You’ll probably also
find that you won’t want to use your camera’s built in flash when photographing
close up objects or they’ll be burnt out. Lastly – a tripod is invaluable in
macro shots as the depth of field is so small that even moving towards or away
from your subject slightly can make your subject out of focus.
Read more:
Read more:
Landscape Mode
This
mode is almost the exact opposite of portrait mode in that it sets the camera
up with a small aperture (large number) to make sure as much of the scene
you’re photographing will be in focus as possible (i.e. it give you a large
depth of field). It’s therefore ideal for capturing shots of wide scenes,
particularly those with points of interest at different distances from the
camera. At times your camera might also select a slower shutter speed in this
mode (to compensate for the small aperture) so you might want to consider a
tripod or other method of ensuring your camera is still.
Read more:
Read more:
Sports Mode
Photographing
moving objects is what sports mode (also called ‘action mode’ in some cameras)
is designed for. It is ideal for photographing any moving objects including
people playing sports, pets, cars, wildlife etc. Sports mode attempts to freeze
the action by increasing the shutter speed. When photographing fast moving
subjects you can also increase your chances of capturing them with panning of
your camera along with the subject and/or by attempting to pre focus your
camera on a spot where the subject will be when you want to photograph it (this
takes practice).
Read more:
Read more:
Night Mode
This is
a really fun mode to play around with and can create some wonderfully colourful
and interesting shots. Night mode (a technique also called ‘slow shutter sync’)
is for shooting in low light situations and sets your camera to use a longer
shutter speed to help capture details of the background but it also fires off a
flash to illuminate the foreground (and subject). If you use this mode for a
‘serious’ or well-balanced shot you should use a tripod or your background will
be blurred – however it’s also fun to take shots with this handheld to
purposely blur your backgrounds – especially when there is a situation with
lights behind your subject as it can give a fun and experimental look (great
for parties and dance floors with coloured lights).
Read more:
Read more:
Movie Mode
This
mode extends your digital camera from just capturing still images to capturing
moving ones. Most new digital cameras these days come with a movie mode that
records both video but also sound. The quality is generally not up to video
camera standards but it’s a handy mode to have when you come across that
perfect subject that just can’t be captured with a still image. Keep in mind
that moving images take up significantly more space on your memory storage than
still images.
Other
less common modes that I’ve seen on digital cameras over the past year include:
·
Panoramic/Stitch Mode –
for taking shots of a panoramic scene to be joined together later as one image.
·
Snow Mode –
to help with tricky bright lighting at the snow
·
Fireworks Mode - for
shooting firework displays
·
Kids and Pets Mode –
fast moving objects can be tricky – this mode seems to speed up shutter speed
and help reduce shutter lag with some pre focussing
·
Underwater Mode –
underwater photography has its own unique set of exposure requirements
·
Beach Mode –
another bright scene mode
·
Indoor Mode –
helps with setting shutter speed and white balance
·
Foliage Mode - boosts
saturation to give nice bold colours
Semi-Automatic Modes
Aperture Priority Mode (A or AV)
This
mode is really a semi-automatic (or semi-manual) mode where you choose the
aperture and where your camera chooses the other settings (shutter speed, white
balance, ISO etc.) so as to ensure you have a well-balanced exposure. Aperture
priority mode is useful when you’re looking to control the depth of field in a
shot (usually a stationary object where you don’t need to control shutter
speed). Choosing a larger number aperture means the aperture (or the opening in
your camera when shooting) is smaller and lets less light in. This means you’ll
have a larger depth of field (more of the scene will be in focus) but that your
camera will choose a slower shutter speed. Small numbers means the opposite (i.e.
your aperture is large, depth of field will be small and your camera will
probably choose a faster shutter speed).
Shutter Priority Mode (S or TV)
Shutter
priority is very similar to aperture priority mode but is the mode where you
select a shutter speed and the camera then chooses all of the other settings.
You would use this mode where you want to control over shutter speed
(obviously). For example when photographing moving subjects (like sports) you
might want to choose a fast shutter speed to freeze the motion. On the
flip-side of this you might want to capture the movement as a blur of a subject
like a waterfall and choose a slow shutter speed. You might also choose a slow
shutter speed in lower light situations.
Program Mode (P)
Some
digital cameras have this priority mode in addition to auto mode (in a few
cameras Program mode IS full Auto mode… confusing isn’t it!). In those cameras
that have both, Program mode is similar to Auto but gives you a little more
control over some other features including flash, white balance, ISO etc. Check
your digital camera’s manual for how the Program mode differs from Automatic in
your particular model.
Fully Manual Mode
Manual Mode
In this
mode you have full control over your camera and need to think about all
settings including shutter speed, aperture, ISO, white balance, flash etc. It gives
you the flexibility to set your shots up as you wish. Of course you also need
to have some idea of what you’re doing in manual mode so most digital camera
owners that I have anything to do with tend to stick to one of the priority
modes.
Read more:
Batteries
21. Explain the different types of batteries available for digital cameras.
The Different Types of Batteries for Your Digital Camera
Most digital cameras
accept standard AA batteries, but you have options in what kind of AA batteries
you use. Disposable batteries, rechargeable batteries, and even battery packs can
get your camera snapping photos. You just need to decide what kind of battery
would work best for you:
- Alkaline
batteries: These traditional batteries usually have
a pretty short life in a digital camera.
- Lithium
batteries: Tend to last longer than other battery
types. They also handle cold weather better.
- Rechargeable
batteries: Choose nickel metal-hydride (NiMH)
rechargeable batteries if you can because they have more power, are safer
for the environment, and have several technical advantages over other
types. You can also use lithium-ion (Li-Ion) rechargeable batteries, which
usually last for a couple hundred shots. This figure shows both types of
rechargeable batteries.
Of
course, rechargeable batteries need a battery charger.
You can use a battery charger that plugs into a standard wall socket or one
that’s solar-powered.
·
Battery pack: Some cameras can be fitted with an add-on battery pack (as shown in this
figure) that fits under the camera body and holds two more batteries
(increasing the length of your batteries’ life).
22. What do these icons mean?
Battery is full. 
Battery is low and needs to be charged soon.Software
23. Describe some of the software that comes
with the digital camera.
Many
digital cameras come with digital photography software that allows for photo
manipulation, slide show creation, and e-mail capability.
Workflow and Photo Editing Special Purpose Software: Best Tools
Image editors and
workflow suites will do some of the functions of the software listed below, but if
you want to take those – whether it’s an effects filter or a better way to get
rid of digital noise – to new heights, that’s the time you need to call in the
specialists. Most of the developers listed below make more than one title. I’ve
listed the latest or most interesting developments for each.
Color Efex Pro is a powerful
visual effects generator and Version 4 has a number of
enhancements to boost its functionality even more. A new stackable feature
lets you combine filter effects and then adjust opacity to control their
strength. There are a number of new filter effects, and the effects now have pre-sets
to give you a starting point.
Underneath the
software is optimized for multi-core processors and high performance graphics
chips. Nik‘s signature feature, U-Point
technology is of course part of the package. This is like a heads-up display
that overlays the effects controls onscreen directly over the areas you
want to modify. The Complete Edition ($199.95) contains 55 filters and the
Select Edition ($99.95) contains 26 filters.
Corel Painter 12 is the natural media specialist. It
is designed to reproduce in the digital realm the methodology of traditional
visual arts – painting, drawing, etc. Its Real Bristle brushes come very close
to producing the stroke appearance of… well, real bristle brushes. New to
version 12 are Real Watercolor
and Real Wet Oil brushes.
Some
other software to choose from would be Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Photoshop Elements, and Paint shop
Pro.
Meta Data
24. Information is recorded in a photo. Explain advantages of this and describe how you would insert this into a Photoshop file. What are tags? How can tags help the user?
Photo
metadata, simply put, is a set of data that describes various aspects of your
photo (i.e. where it was taken, settings used, etc.).
Photos
without metadata are like the thousands of items at an antique market, whose
origin and history you can only guess at. Using metadata is like adding a card
next to each item in the antique market with details such as its origin, maker,
purpose, how it was made, etc.
There
are two types of metadata: technical and informational.
Technical
metadata
The technical data
(EXIF) tells you all about the settings used when you took the shot. This
includes things like:
§
date and time
§
shutter speed
§
aperture
§
ISO speed
§
focal length
On
most cameras, this information will automatically be added to each photo when
you take them, so you generally don’t need to do anything to include this.
Informational
metadata
The informational data
(IPTC, XMP and Keywords) includes things like:
§
name and type of subject
§
name of the photographer
§
where the photo was taken
§
copyright info
§
keywords to describe the photo
§
Just about anything else you can think of!
This
type of information isn’t automatically generated by the camera (sorry!), so
you’ll have to manually enter it yourself, but making use of this information
will make your photographic life much easier!
Advantages
of using metadata
Metadata
is written to the image file, so it stays with the image wherever it goes. This
means whether your email it or post it on the web, the metadata you include
will be available for all to read (only you can decide whether that is a good
thing!).
There
are two main advantages of using metadata:
1.
It helps identify you as the photographer and owner
of the photo
2.
It helps you find the photo again later (through
keywords, and any other info you attach to the photo)
An
example of metadata in action
Photo by Matthew Fletcher
As an example, let’s take a look at the metadata embedded in the photo above of a white-faced heron:
Technical data (EXIF):
§
ISO Speed: 400
§
Focal Length: 400mm
§
Exposure: 1/500
§
F-Number: f/8
Informational data:
§
Copyright notice (“Copyright (c) 2008 Matthew
Fletcher”)
§
Rights usage notice (“For consideration only. No
reproduction without prior permission”)
§
City/State (Lauderdale, Tasmania)
§
Country (Australia)
§
Keywords (white faced heron, Egretta
novaehollandiae, Lauderdale Canal)
By
including all this metadata, I can safely post this image online or send it to
a friend, bureau or magazine (because the copyright notice is included). I can
also search my computer for this image by using keywords I attached to the
photo (i.e. “White-faced Heron” or “Australia” or “Tasmania” or “Lauderdale” or
“Lauderdale Canal” or any combination of these).
With
so many ways to find this image, I’ll surely find it quickly and easily
whenever I need it in the future.
As an
alternative to metadata, I could have simply renamed the file to “White-faced
Heron” but then you wouldn’t be able to determine where the picture was taken,
nor the other features. And if this picture had multiple subjects, what would
you call it without having a terribly long file name?
Using
metadata is the only way to attach all information about the photo.
How to add metadata to your photos
Depending
on which program you use, there will be different ways of adding keywords to
your image. It may be called keywords, or tags, or simply “metadata.” Programs
like Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Light room have advanced key wording and
metadata options. But you can also add keywords in programs like Apple’s iPhoto
and many others.
It’s
worth the extra time investment…
It
does take extra time to add keywords, but the small investment of time up-front
is well worth it in the future. Try it next time you import your photos or look
at existing photos, and see how metadata can work for you. Oh, and if you do go
antiquing, think how much easier life would be if each item included metadata!
In
Photoshop, Click File then scroll down to ‘File info’
It
brings up a box to add metadata. Here you can add information like:
·
Document title
·
Author
·
Author title
·
Description
·
Give it a rating
·
Description Writer
·
Keywords
·
Copyright status and so on.
I lot
more information can be added just click on the top tabs then the right ones.
In information systems, a tag is a
non-hierarchical keyword or term assigned to a piece of
information (such as an Internet
bookmark, digital image,
or computer file). This kind of metadata helps describe an item and allows it to be found again by browsing
or searching. Tags are generally chosen informally and personally by the item's
creator or by its viewer, depending on the system.
News Flash – Kodak has now folded and no
longer exists.
25. How does this impact the digital camera
market?The demise of Kodak
Eastman Kodak, a company so
synonymous with the art and history of photography that it once held a 90%
share of the US film market, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on
January 19, 2012 after 123 years of trading. Despite more than 100,000
creditors and debts in excess of $6.75 billion, Kodak remains in operation
thanks to a $950 million, 18-month credit facility from Citigroup. However
without a radical strategic and operational overhaul most industry analysts
can’t see it surviving for much longer.
So how did such a historical company and a brand so legendary that one of its slogans “a Kodak moment” has entered the English language decline so badly? The answer is rather simple: it failed to evolve with the times. Despite being an early pioneer of digital photography, where as recently as 2005 it was the biggest seller in the US of digital cameras, Kodak failed to adjust properly to the change in the market away from film to digital and as a result its sales shrunk almost in half from 2005 to 2010 and hasn’t posted a profit since 2004.
Kodak invested heavily in digital photography but failed to benefit from its investment as both the size of the market shrunk in the wake of launch of cell phones with the capability to take digital photographs, and it was superseded by a large influx of competitors from Asia, whom could dramatically undercut its prices. Kodak responded by reducing the quality of its cameras and selling them at a very low profit margin, but this only made matters worse and it became so heavily inundated with complaints that by 2006 it withdrew from the Council of Better Business Bureaus (CBBB) and announced that it would no longer accept or respond to consumer complaints submitted by them. The net effect of all this saw Kodak’s sales fall dramatically from being no 4 in the US digital camera market in 2007 to being to no 7 in 2010 with just 7% of overall sales.
The effects of such a decline were severe to the business and ranged from being delisted from the Dow Jones Industrial Average index in 2004 after 74 consecutive years to having to downsize over 50,000 of its workforce. In 2010 its shares tumbled almost 90% to penny stock status which saw it delisted from the S&P 500 in December 2010. During 2011, Kodak was forced to utilise $160 million from a pre-existing $400 million credit line in order to continue trading and looked to raise cash by exploring the sale of more than 1,100 patents, or 10% of the company's patent portfolio, which could have the potential of generating $3 billion. Despite these measures shares fell more than 80 precent and Thomson Reuters project they end both 2011 and 2012 in the red.
So how did such a historical company and a brand so legendary that one of its slogans “a Kodak moment” has entered the English language decline so badly? The answer is rather simple: it failed to evolve with the times. Despite being an early pioneer of digital photography, where as recently as 2005 it was the biggest seller in the US of digital cameras, Kodak failed to adjust properly to the change in the market away from film to digital and as a result its sales shrunk almost in half from 2005 to 2010 and hasn’t posted a profit since 2004.
Kodak invested heavily in digital photography but failed to benefit from its investment as both the size of the market shrunk in the wake of launch of cell phones with the capability to take digital photographs, and it was superseded by a large influx of competitors from Asia, whom could dramatically undercut its prices. Kodak responded by reducing the quality of its cameras and selling them at a very low profit margin, but this only made matters worse and it became so heavily inundated with complaints that by 2006 it withdrew from the Council of Better Business Bureaus (CBBB) and announced that it would no longer accept or respond to consumer complaints submitted by them. The net effect of all this saw Kodak’s sales fall dramatically from being no 4 in the US digital camera market in 2007 to being to no 7 in 2010 with just 7% of overall sales.
The effects of such a decline were severe to the business and ranged from being delisted from the Dow Jones Industrial Average index in 2004 after 74 consecutive years to having to downsize over 50,000 of its workforce. In 2010 its shares tumbled almost 90% to penny stock status which saw it delisted from the S&P 500 in December 2010. During 2011, Kodak was forced to utilise $160 million from a pre-existing $400 million credit line in order to continue trading and looked to raise cash by exploring the sale of more than 1,100 patents, or 10% of the company's patent portfolio, which could have the potential of generating $3 billion. Despite these measures shares fell more than 80 precent and Thomson Reuters project they end both 2011 and 2012 in the red.
Lessons Learned
Companies, especially those in tech-related
industries, can certainly walk away with how not to become obsolete, as Kodak
has done.
The biggest lesson to be learned from Kodak’s
demise is no matter how big of a company you are, you can never be comfortable
in your niche. Companies need to be and stay innovative to stay relevant an in
business. Just take a look at Apple who keeps innovating its most popular
products into better iterations of themselves. Apple is always working on new
projects and looking to release game-changing devise…that it will then perfect
with various editions.
In essence, even though Kodak was first at
releasing the digital camera, they didn’t follow through with their technology
and was left behind. When they didn’t take advantage of what they had, they
stopped trying. Unlike them, Apple continues to lead the market because they’re
not resting on their laurels and are continuing to think as innovators and
leaders.
I
would imagine companies such as Apple, Google, Fujifilm, Sony, Nikon and Cannon
will dominate the market as well as camera phones playing a big part as these
days you can instantly upload your videos and photos to the World Wide Web.
HDR
26. What is HDR and how can you use it in your photography or your images?
You might have heard the enigmatic acronym “HDR” in reference to
photography. It stands for “High Dynamic Range” and it creates photos with
gorgeous, impossible detail and clarity. Keep reading to learn more, and see
how you can use it.
Why Would I Even Need HDR?
Cameras are limited to
the amount of image detail they can record when the sensor is exposed to light.
Whether you’re using the auto settings or are taking pics using skilfully tuned
manual settings, your goal is trying to take advantage of the available light
to maximize the detail in the result image. The problem is, when you’re
shooting heavy shadows and bright lights, you are forced into
losing detail in one range or the other.
A skilled photographer
can tune her elements of exposure to achieve great detail in
shadows or highlights, or choose the middle of the road, “proper” exposure
solution, and lose some detail in both. Lots of detail in the shadows can give
you thin, washed out highlights, while good detail in those same highlight
areas will result in all shadows immediately jumping to a solid, dark black.
Ordinarily, you’d want the “goldilocks” exposure that is somewhere in the
middle.
Using this sort of
“normal” exposure, where a photographer has to make these sorts of tough
decisions, is sometimes called “Standard” or “Low” Dynamic Range imaging. This
is what ordinary cameras shoot, including what nearly 100% of How-To Geek
readers are likely to be using.
What is High Dynamic Range Imaging?
In order to avoid any
confusion, it’s worth noting that there are many different methods of creating
images that are all referred to as HDR, or High Dynamic Range Imaging. Many of
these methods are very different, so it can be helpful to briefly look at our
terminology, and explain away these confusing terms that all seem to overlap
each other. Keep the following in mind when thinking of HDR:
- Ordinary methods of creating images have
less range than the human eye can see. These are called “Standard” or “Low
Dynamic Range.”
- There are methods and hacks to work
around these image limits, and these methods are sometimes called HDR
imaging methods. These specific methods are usually older and predate
digital combination of images.
- There is also High Dynamic Range image
formats and colour spaces that have greater ranges of values than
standard range formats, capable of capturing rich detail in shadows and
highlights at once. These are also correctly called HDR, and are not the
same thing as the previously mentioned methods. Normally these are
captured natively, with HDR equipment.
- What most modern digital photographers
refer to as HDR Imaging is what we shall be focusing
on today—a method of combining image data from multiple
digital exposures to create one photograph with detail normally not
possible.
What Goes Into an HDR Image?
Stepping around the
problems of typical standard range photography, we can think of HDR Imaging as
techniques that combine the image information from multiple exposures into one
image with detail beyond the limitations of single exposures. Resourceful
photographers know to use image bracketing when photographing
a scene, or stopping up or stopping down the exposure in order to increase the
chances of finding that proper “goldilocks” exposure. Even though your light
meter or auto setting might say that the proper exposure has been selected,
taking the same composition multiple times with multiple aperture or shutter speed
settings will greatly boost your chances of getting that “best” image out of
your shot.
HDR Imaging also uses
bracketing, but in a different way. Instead of shooting multiple exposures to
create the best image, HDR wants to capture the maximum possible detail
throughout the whole range of light. Photographers normally faced with the
choice of losing detail in highlights and shadows can choose to bracket
multiple exposures, shooting first for detail in the shadows, then for detail
in the highlights, and a “goldilocks” exposure somewhere in the middle. By
bracketing this way, professionals create the building blocks for their perfect
image.
Tonal Mapping, and Creating Rich Detail in Images
The basic idea of
creating a combination image with multiple exposures is not new to photography.
As long as cameras have had the limitation of standard ranges, clever
photographers have been hacking ways to create the best possible image.
Brilliant photographer Ansel Adams used dodging and burning techniques to
selectively expose his prints and create amazing rich detail in images, like
the one illustrated above. When digital photography was finally viable
enough to address this problem, the first HDR file types were created. However,
the HDR file types used by most photographers today do not use this method
(i.e. capturing multiple exposures into single file, beyond the range of
ordinary imaging). Most so-called “HDR” images are actually multiple exposures
combined into an HDR image, and then Tone mapped into a single
standard range image.
Much of the true High
Dynamic Range levels of detail are out of range of monitors, CMYK printers, and
cameras—these ordinary mediums simply can’t create images that can compare to
the amount of image data the human eye can capture. Tone mapping is a technique
to translate colour and values from a HDR medium (for instance, a Photoshop
creation of multiple SDR exposures) and map them back into a standard medium
(like an ordinary image file). Because it is a translation, tone mapped images are
a sort of simulation of the rich range of values in HDR file
formats, despite the fact that they can create amazing detail in lights and
darks simultaneously. Despite this, tone mapped images fall under the blanket
of HDR techniques, and get the confusing blanket label of HDR.
It is this technique
that most photographers call HDR Imaging, or even HDR photography. The reason
it is more significant is because modern photo editing tools and digital
cameras make it easier than ever for home and hobby photographers to create
these images.
Creating Images with HDR Levels of Detail
Many modern image
editing apps have tone mapping routines for combining multiple images and
creating the best possible image out of their combination, in addition to hacks
and clever ways to combine images to create rich photographs with excellent
detail. These methods, some of which HTG will cover in future photography
articles, are possible with Photoshop, and even with free software like GIMP or
Paint.NET. You can create multiple exposures, high-detail photography by:
- Combining multiple exposures with
software like Photo matrix or Photoshop’s HDR Pro, and tone mapping the
image.
- Combining multiple exposures using
combinations of blending methods in multiple layers in powerful image editors
like GIMP.
- Manually merging high detail areas of
images with layer masks, erasers, and dodging and burning in programs like
Photoshop or Paint.NET.
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