Camera Hardware and Accessories

We all know cameras are cool, but how much do you know about camera hardware and accessories? If the answer is "not much," read on!

Most camera hardware is designed for SLR cameras, and not point and shoot cameras. But, I don't like to make people feel left out! For those of you out there with a point and shoot camera, you can still pick up some cool accessories like camera bags, tripods, and media cards to enhance your digital photography. Most camera hardware options contradict the benefits of a point and shoot camera anyway, namely: convenience, ease of use, and small size for portability. When you start adding hardware, things become a little more advanced.

For those of you who have SLR cameras (or hope to get one this holiday season), here are a few hardware options you might be interested in:

External Flash
Your SLR camera already comes with a built in flash, which is fine for snapshots and candid photos, but really only work well when the subject is within 15 feet. Also, the built in flashes almost always give people red eye, because the flash and the lens are so close together and are pointed at the same angle when you take a photo.

An external flash allows you to move the flash away from the lens and use a different angle to light your shot. Even moving it 6-12 inches away from the lens can eliminate red eye, though if you are shooting from a long distance away, you will need at least a few feet between the lens and the flash.

External flashes also allow you to use a technique the pros use all the time: bounce the flash. Tip the flash up so the light hits the ceiling in an indoor shot. The light will bounce off the ceiling and fall onto the subjects, rather than shoot straight at them like a built in flash. This gives the photo a more natural lighting effect. Or, use a rubber band to attach a business card to the top of the external flash to reflect the light up and forward at the same time. This enhances the light in your photos even more and eliminates the dark eye effect (the dark eye effect is when the eyes have a shadowy look from the light coming down from above). Your photos will get exponentially better with just this one technique.

Lastly, if you buy an external flash, purchase a sync cord, which lets you move the flash several feet away from the camera. A sync cord automatically triggers the flash when you take a photo, regardless of where the flash is in relation to the camera.

Lenses
Different lenses are one of the reasons pros use SLRs as opposed to point and shoot cameras. Most SLRs come with a zoom lens you can attach and remove, but there are plenty of other options out there. A wide angle lens (18mm, 24mm, 28mm, or 35mm) expands the horizons in your shot and makes photos appear more like how our eyes see things. This is a great lens for nature landscapes or for shooting in a room.

A portrait lens (105mm or 135mm) shortens the background and gives peoples' faces the correct proportions that often appear slightly incorrect with other lenses. As the name suggests, this lens is good for portraits and close up shots.

Long lenses you often see sports photographers using help you get closer to your subject. But, they do more than bring you closer to the action; they also help isolate the subject by throwing the background out of focus.

As far as pricing is concerned, you get what you pay for. Most high quality lenses are several hundred dollars or more. The less expensive ones let less light in than the more expensive ones. They are still quality lenses, but are not as versatile. Visit your local store to see what lenses are available. Bring in your camera to try them out.

Check out our blog post: Shooting in Manual Mode

Image Size and Resolution

Image Size
Image Size is the size of your original digital photo file, measured in pixels and DPI (Dots Per Inch). What is a pixel? A pixel is a small square dot. DPI refers to the number of dots (pixels) per inch. Why is this important? Well, if an image is too small, you might not be able to order a large size print or other photo product. A general rule of thumb for image size versus print size is: the image size should be at least the size of the print you want multiplied by 300, at 300 DPI. For example, if you want to order a 4x6 print, the image size should be 1200 pixels (4 x 300) by 1800 pixels (6 x 300) at 300 DPI. If the image size was half of that (600 by 900), then the 4x6 print would likely come out distorted or pixilated if you were to order a print.

Camera Settings
Decide in advance what is more important: image quality or room on your memory card. You can set your camera to take photos that are larger or smaller in size. If you know you will only be printing 4x6 photos, then you can reduce the image quality, which allows you to store more photos on your memory card. If you will be printing enlargements or other photo products like photo books, then keep the setting on "high" for higher quality images. The image sizes will be larger and you will not be able to store as many on your memory card at one time. Also, set the file type as "jpeg" if your camera allows you to control that detail. You might have a "tiff" option, but it is not necessary to save the photos as "tiff" files, and it will only take up more room on your memory card.

If you have a point and shoot camera, open your main menu, and find the setting for "image quality" (or something similar). Usually, the options are "low," "medium," and "high." Choose "high" for higher quality (larger) photos. If you have an SLR camera, you probably have additional options. Just stick to high quality jpeg images, unless you know you will be doing extensive image editing and post-production. In that case, you might want to shoot RAW files.


Resolution
The resolution of your photo is directly impacted by the image size. The more pixels your photos have, the higher their resolution is.

When you upload photos to your online account, you are given three upload options: "Regular," "Fast," and "Fastest." When you choose "Fast" or "Fastest," the photos are compressed, so the resolution will be less than the original photo file. So, if you are just uploading to order 4x6 prints, "Fastest" will be fine. But, if you wish to order enlargements, photo books, calendars, and other photo products, choose the "Regular" speed, which uploads the photos at their original resolution.

Once the photos are uploaded, you will notice three bars for each photo in your account. If all three bars are green, that means that the resolution of the photo that is in the account is sufficient enough to order just about anything on the site. If the bars are all red, you have uploaded a low resolution photo. Try to find the original photo file and check the size. If the size is sufficient enough to order prints (based on the rule we mentioned above about multiplying the desired print size by 300 and comparing to the actual image size), re-upload the photo at "Regular" upload speed. Photos with two or three red bars will generate poor quality prints, especially if you are trying to order anything larger than 4x6 prints.
We also will double check the resolution on our end. If we catch a low res file when printing, we always stop and notify you. We want you to be happy with your prints.

   

Additional Tips
Now that you understand image size and resolution a bit more, and understand why they are important when working in your online photo account, here are a few more extra tips about image size and resolution:

• Most computer screens display photos at 72 DPI. That means the printed photo will look different than how it appears on your computer screen. 

• If you crop a photo too much (zoom in too much), it will always look pixilated and distorted, no matter how large the image size is.

• Once you take the photo, you cannot increase the size or resolution by increasing the number of pixels in any photo editing program. If you wish to increase the resolution or file size, you must do so by adjusting your camera settings before you take any more photos.

Photography Tip: Manual Mode

Manual Mode

Most people take pictures using Auto mode, especially on point and shoot cameras. While there is certainly nothing wrong with that, it is a good idea to understand the basics of using Manual mode. Essentially, all Auto mode does is set the Manual mode settings automatically. But, sometimes Auto mode gets it wrong, and if you do not know how to use Manual mode, you are out of luck.  So grab your camera, enable Manual mode, and read on! If you are unsure of how to enable Manual mode, consult your camera's manual, or look for an "M" in your camera settings or menu.


ISO
The ISO setting on your camera determines how sensitive your camera is to light. If you are shooting in a lot of light, use a lower ISO setting. Use a higher ISO setting if there is not a lot of light. 100 or 200 are the standard settings; set your ISO to 100 on a very bright day or 1600 in a low light situation. Keep in mind that a high ISO setting sometimes results in grainy or lower quality photos.

Shutter Speed

The shutter speed setting determines how fast the camera shutter opens and closes when taking a photo. Long shutter speeds open the shutter for more time, letting in more exposure and light.

If you are trying to freeze a moving subject, like a soccer player, set your shutter speed at 1/250th or higher. Of course, you can shoot slower if you want some blur for effect. Try shooting at 1/30th and move the camera with the player. Sometimes you can get a cool motion effect. Also, if you have a tripod, you can use a slower shutter speed. Bring the tripod to your kid's soccer game to get long exposure shots of the team playing. The background will remain in focus but the kids will be blurred.

Aperture/f-stop
The aperture, or f-stop setting, determines how much light is exposed in the shot. Think of it like filling up a bucket of water from a faucet. If you open the valve wide, more water comes out and the bucket fills up faster. If you close the valve to a small opening, less water comes out and the bucket takes longer to fill. The same concept applies to the aperture/f-stop setting, but the key is that lower numbers equal more light exposure, which might confuse you at first. F/2.8 opens the aperture up to let a lot of light in, which is good in low light situations. F/16 only lets in a little light, and is good on bright days when there is a lot of natural light.

 You can see how all three basic Manual mode components work together. The ISO controls the light sensitivity, the shutter speed determines how fast the shutter is open, and the aperture/f-stop tells the camera how much light to let in.

Advanced Tip: Depth of Field
For the ambitious photographers out there, there is one more Manual mode element to discuss: depth of field. The depth of field is usually not a setting on your camera, but you can control the depth of field using the aperture/f-stop setting. Many professional photographers pay close attention to the depth of field in their photos. A short depth of field isolates the subject in the foreground and blurs the background. You can achieve this effect with a wide f-stop setting, like F/2.8. If you want a deep depth of field, where both the foreground and background are in focus, try a narrow f-stop setting, like F/16.

Examples and Settings to Try
Now that you have some understanding of the basic Manual mode settings, try to use them for yourself! You can always take various test shots around the yard to see what effect different settings have and how they correspond to one another. Here are two examples of settings to use for your kid's soccer games, or other similar events:

If the game is in the middle of the day, the sun is shining brightly, and you want to freeze the action, set the camera to correspond with the high amount of available light. Try an ISO of around 100 or 200, a shutter speed of 1/500 or higher, and an f-stop of F/11. Use a slower shutter speed if you want blur in the photo.

If the game is later in the day or it is cloudy, set the camera for a low light situation. Use an ISO of 400 or 800, and an f-stop of F/2.8 as a starting point. Take a few shots, and adjust the settings if needed.

As always, there is no "right" or "wrong;" it all just depends on what you are after. Use the settings above as your base, then adjust and shoot plenty of photos to see the different outcomes.

Have Fun! Email us with any questions! Can't wait to see what you print!
(and having said that, remember your prints reflect your work, so make sure you are using a PRO lab!)