Keys to Select a Digital Camera

These tips have the ambition to address the many and be readable in minimum time. They are deliberately oversimplified, but still enough to choose a device commonly used.

Key criteria for selecting a digital camera:

The Type of Device

The range of digital cameras is now available in three main categories: the SLR-style appliances, equipment and bridge type devices compact or ultra compact.

The digital SLR cameras: the high end. The viewfinder shows the exact image that will be taken through a mirror system. The objectives are interchangeable. This type of device is more expensive.

The digital camera type bridge: They differ from SLR because they do not under direct (optical) but referred electronics (on screen). On the other hand, the optics (lenses) are generally not interchangeable, except on certain models.

The compact digital cameras, ultra compact: the aim is mainly via a screen that is most often the back of the camera. On some models, the screen is tilted. When a camera is present, it is similar to those fitted to the compact film cameras. The eye sees the scene through a device that passes through the device and does not capture the image as seen through the lens. A small gap between the image seen through the viewfinder and one that will be taken is therefore inevitable.

The choice between these types of aircraft depends on your budget, but also the type of use:

If you value quality and performance photographs, if you are a demanding lover, you tend to orient the reflex or bridges.

If you just want to capture your vacation, opt for a compact that will be much more easily transportable, while allowing image quality good enough in most cases.

Of course in all cases, other criteria detailed below must be taken into account, because within the same category you will find equipment of quality and performance varied. Better a good compact that poor bridge! See our tips page summaries of selected digital cameras of every kind.

The Sensor Resolution

This data indicates the sharpness of the image that you can get. When you take a digital photograph, an image sensor analysis. More sensor consists of points of analysis, the image will be. A point is called a pixel. The devices analyze available between one and ten (or more) million pixels.

That this resolution, the sharpness of image that will determine the maximum size print (hardcopy) of your photos. We believe the minimum is three million pixels to print a picture format 10 X 15. The aircraft exceeded all current devices blithely this minimum value.

We advise you not to fall below 5 million pixels. If you want to edit photos on your computer, then eventually the crop by removing unnecessary edges, you will appreciate having a comfortable resolution.

Our advice: choose one of 6 million pixels. If you want to perform editing or additions, choose a device with a sensor of 8 million pixels.

Note also that a very high resolution is not necessarily a guarantee of image quality. Moreover, the more resolution, the larger the memory of a photograph takes time. Therefore the device is designed accordingly, or risk losing speed.

The Sensor Size

Plus sensor, the more light it receives, and the image quality will be. Between two devices displaying the same resolution, choose one whose sensor is the greatest.

The Quality of Color Rendering

This is the fidelity which colors are restored. Performance tests of this benchmark are published regularly in the press. e Laboratory fnac has made such precise measurements and awarded marks out of 20 devices tested (see technical file available at the bottom of page). The colors are a key element of a photograph, you should be demanding and choose a device obtaining at least grade 15 tests.

Availability

With a traditional camera, the time of taking a picture in normal lighting conditions is negligible. Similarly, the device has made the decision, it is possible to take the next picture. This is not the case for a digital camera. It therefore takes a certain period of time between the taking of two photographs.

The term pest is particularly damaging in the sports photo. Unfortunately, it is impossible with a digital camera midrange to engage in the taking of such photographs. For example, a test fnac measure the distance traveled by a child trotting towards the goal at a speed of 5 km / hour between the start and the actual capture of the photo. Only high-end devices take the photo before the child has traveled a meter.

In more reasonable prices, we can choose a device that require a waiting period between two photos from two to three seconds. Higher values can not be accepted if you do pictures of landscapes or portraits!

The Quality of Optics

It is unnecessary to have a powerful device if the light is transmitted to the sensor is degraded through the optics. Pay special attention so optics.

The power zoom

It expresses the ability of the device to bring distant subjects, to swell. Only optical zoom approaching the subject without quality loss. The digital zoom perform processing software and image are in our opinion without any interest (you can always do this kind of magnification on your computer, by reworking the photo). Choose a camera with a 3X optical zoom at least.

Memory Available

Digital cameras store images in memory. The amount of memory available is not really a criterion for choosing the device, because it can always be expanded later by adding or replacing memory cards. To calculate the memory to provide, you must determine how many photos you want to be able to do without having to empty your memory card. Then multiply that number by the size occupied by a cliché. This size depends on the resolution-making, compression, etc. - to be determined by the portable.

We strongly advise you to acquire at least a 128MB card because a 16MB card will allow you to about 16 pictures in 3 million pixels. Very little when you're on vacation! If you do not have a laptop you should contact a local trader to burn a cd rom. In some countries, labor is not always good! We have had bitter experience in entrusting a photographer hotel a memory card which included photographs taken at 5 megapixels. We made a cd rom which included many photos, but in 640 * 480 pixels.

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Making your photos of fireworks

These beauties are ephemeral fireworks, but not so complicated to shoot. Must still follow a few simple rules.

Tips :

Stabilize

First board, not least, the shot of hands is avoided. So remember to bring a tripod, mini tripod or any other accessory you can stabilize the unit.

In fact, you should use a long pause on your handset. Thus, by setting your camera securely, you will not be disappointed to discover blurred images. Furthermore, the trails of fireworks are perfectly regular and more aesthetic.

Avoid the Flash

The flash will be of no use to photograph the fireworks. At best, it will illuminate what lies in the foreground, which has the effect of obscuring the background - the sky in this case - and therefore the main subject of your photo.

But your camera does not fail to fall into the trap of its sensors, alerted by a low brightness. Help him a bit and cut him any desire to make the slightest light. Set your flash with forced shutdown. This setting is generally identifiable by an icon representing a flash circled and crossed out.

Close the Diaphragm

First Set your camera to manual mode to be able to act on the shutter speed and aperture.

Contrary to what one might think, it is preferable to close the diaphragm, as if one was taking pictures in daylight. A prolonged opening time will bring enough light to properly expose the image.

Set on a diaphragm aperture value of f: 8 seems quite suitable. If the night is not quite fallen or if the lighting around buildings is not completely off, you can close the aperture to f: 11.

Choose a Slow Shutter Speed

How to get beautiful bright streaks? By leaving the shutter open long enough.

To find the right length, it is desirable to test, since the shutter speed will depend on the focus that made you want to get sky rather dark buildings around not too marked, multiple colors ...

In all cases it must not be less than one second exposure, which can get very pretty bright yarn. If you want to overexpose several explosions in your photo, choose an exposure time of very large (5 or 10 seconds).

Tip: To avoid overexposing your image with ambient light, place a black card in front of the target between each shot rocket. Remove it to capture bursts of color desired.

Reduce Sensitivity

It is night, a logical reaction would be to increase the sensitivity: 800, 1600, 3200 or 6400 ISO. Mistake.

Indeed, the higher the sensitivity, the higher the shutter speed will also be high to avoid over-exposure. This is exactly the reverse was trying to do!

To receive the shots as colored trails and you avoid overexposed shots, low sensitivity is preferable. Adjust your camera so on ISO 100 or ISO 64 if your camera allows. Especially if you want to keep the background image of a brightly lit building.

More sensitivity is reduced over the long shutter can remain open, you can create light effects ...

Make Development to Infinity

ur device will certainly make it difficult to focus automatically. This is normal: the light is missing. And without development, the camera does not photograph. So how?

This is where the manual focus. Even on the compact, there is generated the mode "Manual Focus" or "MF (manual focus in English). Select this mode and adjust the focus on infinity (represented by 8 layers).

Using the Timer

The exposure time is very high, the risk of image blur becomes important. The tripod is of course an essential accessory for that. But simply pressing the trigger can generate a small camera movement resulting in a blurred picture.

To avoid this, follow this simple advice: use the timer to trigger your camera. Two seconds of delay sufficient to ensure that the device is stable at the time of the shooting.

Find an Open Area

Last bit of advice: anticipating the event and just put you at a strategic location to maximize your shots.

No placement is ideal, but some are more conducive to good images. Nothing is more frustrating than not being able to enjoy the full spectacle of electric cables, tree leaves invasive spectators to hair very developed ... These elements should be avoided so as not to spoil the show.

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5 Tips to improve its technical outdoor portraits

Here are 5 tips to get your portrait photos outdoors in improving your technique:

1. Avoid light "crushing" the subject's face

The bright lights and direct, like the sun at midday, led contrasts very intense.
The human eye is able to see a tonal range very wide, although this is not the case for the sensor of a camera: either the tones will "cram" or dark tones are pure black.
Facial expression is also affected: your model will not have to squint and take a more natural expression.
Outdoors, so select a rather cloudy day, and avoid the midday sun.

2. Put the model in the shadows

If you are outside and the weather is not cloudy, place your model in the shadows.
You will find a position that allows you to have a background that is also in the shade, or at least darker than what lies in the sun to avoid, once again, having to manage a contrast too strong.
The gray areas outside give a light similar to that one can have during a cloudy day: the contrasts are mild, and the appearance of the skin is enhanced.

3. Use a large focal

You can use a telephoto lens between 70mm and 110mm approx. There is no "miracle lens" to you to experiment.
The lenses change the perspective and give the face a more flat, while focusing on your model to make the background blur (using a large aperture).
Avoid wide angle lenses, which give the opposite effect: the view is great, and the nose becomes practically a mountain ... This can be a creative choice, but for a classic portrait, choose a long focal length to a wide angle.

Reminder: always the focus on the eyes of the model, especially if you have a depth of field.

4. Do not place your model against a background of interest

This advice may seem strange at first. But we often see portraits done in front of remarkable sites (eg landscapes, tourist sites ...).
The eye arises on the background and the model is seen as a "cosmetic accessories" just give dimension to the bottom.
In this case, the model is not at all developed. This may be a good choice for landscape photography, but in no case for the portrait.
Instead, choose a neutral, soft colors that will not disrupt attention.

5. Use burst mode

If your camera has a burst mode, which is the case for SLR, use it.
The expression of a face can change dramatically all over a few seconds. For expressions of interest, make your life style, ask them to act rather than asking, and shooter burst.
You can complete the series by more posed portraits, but that both have a burst mode, as used to capture the emotions on the spot.

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