Photo Lens Comparison

By: Darwin Wiggett

Sigma 17-50mm f2.8 vs Canon 17-55mm f2.8 and Tamron 17-50mm f2.8

On full frame cameras the 24-70mm f2.8 lens is the go-to lens for travel, sports, wedding, street, and landscape photography. On cropped sensor cameras the equivalent focal length to a 24-70mm is roughly 17-50mm. This latter focal length gives you wide, normal and telephoto lens perspectives in a relatively small package that fits on cropped sensor cameras. If you are looking for a fast all-purpose lens for your Canon camera whether a Rebel, 20D, 30D 40D, 50D, 60D or the 7D, then you have four choices:

Canon EF-S 17-55 f2.8 IS USM

• Image Stabilized
• Ultrasonic lens (no focus noise)
• UD glass
• internal focus
• close focus 0.35m
• filter size 77mm
• weight 645g
• cost $1200 CAN

Sigma 17-50mm f2.8 EX DC HSM OS

• optical stabilized
• hypersonic motor motor (HSM) – no focus noise
• internal focus
• two low dispersion FLD glass elements
• close-focus 0.28m
• filter size 77mm
• weight 565g
• cost $775 CAN

Tamron 17-50mm f2.8 XR Di II VC

• vibration compensation
• LD (low dispersion) glass
• internal focus
• close-focus 0.29m
• filter size 72mm
• weight 570g
• cost $579 CAN for the VC version and $450 CAN for the non VC version

There is also the Tokina 16-50mm AT-X 165 Pro Dx but I did not have an opportunity to test this lens.
A Bit of History

When I picked up my first cropped sensor Canon camera (a Rebel Xsi) I wanted a light, fast lens for hiking and backpacking. I tested out the Tamron 17-50mm lens (the f2.8 XR di II LD versionwithout the vibration compensation feature). I found it to be surprisingly sharp and I picked up a new one for a sale price of $350 CAN! It was perfect for landscape photography especially for me because I almost always use live view and manual focus on the Rebel to make landscape images. I owned the lens for a year or so and took many landscape photos with it in all sorts of conditions. It was a super performer for the price! But… be aware that the Tamron  lens is really lacking as an auto-focus lens. It was painfully slow to focus and was noisy when focusing. I tried using it with dogs and sports and it was not really suited for action photography.

©Darwin Wiggett - Tamron 17-50 f2.8 lens

©Darwin Wiggett - Tamron 17-50mm f2.8 lens

And Then…

Sigma sent me their 17-50mm f2.8 lens to try it. I was incredibly happy with the Tamron in terms of sharpness and so my first tests were to see if my budget priced Tamron was as sharp as the more expensive Sigma lens. I did the standard tests in the studio using a lens chart to check sharpness at all apertures and at various focal lengths. And then I took the lenses out in the field and photographed the typical kinds of subjects that I shoot to see how the lenses performed in terms of contrast (snap) and colour rendition and also things like flare control and distortion. Rather than bombard you the reader with tons of detailed comparison shots the conclusion of all these tests was the same. Both lenses performed the same optically but with the nod going to the Tamron in the 17-35mm range at f2.8 (better edge sharpness).

©Darwin Wiggett - Sigma 17-50mm lens at f14

But… the Tamron was terrible auto-focus performer! I’ve found that using live view at 5x magnification and manually focusing lenses gives me much sharper images than using auto-focus even in bright contrasty light. This result is consistent across cameras I have tried from the Canon 1ds Mark III, Canon Rebel Xsi and Rebel T2i, Canon 60D, Canon 7D and the Nikon D300s. On workshops and tours I often illustrate this to participants using their own cameras. To try it yourself, simply set your camera to aperture priority and use the smallest number on your aperture dial like f2.8. Use the center focus point on your camera and let the camera focus on a contrasty part of the subject. Now go into live view and magnify the area (e.g. 5x) where the camera auto-focused.  Switch your lens to manual focus and adjust the focus to see if you can get the image sharper than the auto-focus. Often you can easily improve on the sharpness. Check out the scene below. I had the Canon Rebel Xsi mounted on a tripod and the auto-focus was set to ‘one shot’ with the center focus point selected. I had the aperture set to f2.8 and let the camera auto-focus. Then I rephotographed the same scene using manual focus in live view.

The auto-focus test scene

Below are the results of the test using the Sigma 17-50mm lens at f2.8. The image is magnified to 100% view. The top photo is auto-focus, the bottom is manual focus in live view.

Sigma 17-50 at f2.8: top=auto-focus, bottom=manual focus in live view

The auto-focus on the Sigma/Rebel combo locked in really well. The manual focus is a tad sharper but not by much. Below are the results of the Tamron lens on the Rebel Xsi:

Tamron 17-50 f2.8: top=auto-focus, bottom=manual focus in live view

What can you say? The auto-focus on the Tamron lens is terrible! It is slow, it searches, it hunts, it creeps, it’s noisy. I have tested and tried several Tamron lenses (from their 70-200 f2.8 to their 10-24mm lens) and the problem is the same. If, like me, you mostly use manual focus and a tripod, then the Tamron is easily the best buy of the group (especially the non VC version of the lens) and optical performance is really fine. But if you want a sports, travel, portrait lens where you can rely on auto-focus, then I would pass on the Tamron. Also note I did not test the vibration compensation (VC version) of this lens, other reports on the web suggest that sharpness of the VC version is lower than the non VC version. Test before buying!

And so, after testing the Sigma 17-50 f2.8 against the Tamron lens, I decided to sell the Tamron and keep the Sigma. The Sigma was just as good optically (except at f2.8 where edge sharpness was lower) but it had fast and accurate auto-focus and it had optical stabilization for hand-held shots.

And So What About the Canon 17-55mm f2.8?

This is Canon’s flagship lens for cropped sensor cameras and numerous reports state that this lens is super sharp and an all around great performer but it comes at a high price ($1200 CAN). Is the overall quality and performance of the Canon worth the extra cost (more than $400) over the Sigma?

I took the two lenses out over a weekend and ran them through a few tests such as:

1. Optical performance (sharpness, vignetting, flare etc.)
2. Auto-focus tests
3. Image stabilization tests
4. Close-focus capabilities

Here is what I found:
Optical Performance

I compared the sharpness of both the Sigma and the Canon lenses using manual focus in Live View. When precisely focused I really could not give the nod to one lens over the other when it came to center sharpness at all focal lengths and apertures. But at f2.8 in the focal range of 17 to 35mm the Canon had significantly better edge sharpness than the Sigma.

Edge sharpness at 17mm at f2.8 (Sigma top, Canon bottom)

It’s easy to see here that the Canon lens is really good wide open even at the edges. The Sigma lens does not match the edge performance of the Canon until stopped down to f8! After f8 the two lenses perform equally well.

Another weakness of the Sigma Lens are fringing artifacts at the edges of the frame when the lens is shot from 17- 35mm in high contrast light. The Canon also suffers these effects but to a lesser extent.

Edge fringing at f2.8 at 17mm - Canon top, Sigma bottom

The fringing on both lenses is more controlled and equal once the lenses are zoomed out to 35mm or higher.
The Canon lens appears to be optimized for best performance in the aperture range from f2.8 to f8. Images at f11 are decent but less sharp overall and images at f16 or higher are terrible!

Canon 17-55 at f5.6 (top) and f22 (bottom)

I found that although center sharpness on the Sigma is as good as the Canon at f2.8 and f4 that overall image sharpness from edge to edge is best with the Sigma in the f5.6 to f11 range with good performance up to f16. The Sigma is better than the Canon in the f11 to f16 range and therefore is a better choice for landscape work requiring large depth-of-field.

Sigma lens at f16 top photo, Canon lens at f16 bottom photo

The Sigma lens also records images with more contrast and ‘pop’ and with a more accurate colour cast than the Canon lens which tends to record scenes flat and washed out and cool in colour tone.

Sigma lens top photo, Canon lens bottom photo

Sigma lens top photo, Canon lens bottom photo

In numerous tests I found this same difference in contrast and colour between the two lenses. All comparisons were shot at the same exposures, white balance etc. The Sigma lens simply had a more pleasing rendition of scenes for my tastes.

As far as flare is concerned it depends. Sometimes the Sigma gave more flare (e.g. at 17mm) sometimes the Canon was more prone to flare (e.g. at 28mm).

Auto Focus Tests

I tested both the Sigma and the Canon lens for accuracy of auto-focus vs manual focus in live view and both lenses returned similar results. Live view gave slightly better results for both lenses. Only in dim light did the auto-focus capabilities start to falter.

With action sequences of people running, cars on the highway and moving dogs, I saw absolutely no difference in the ability of the Sigma and Canon lenses to track focus. As well, with static subjects both lens were zippy and fast to auto-focus and for me they seemed matched in their abilities.

Image Stabilization Tests

Handheld images using auto-focus and image stabilization (Canon) and optical stabilization (Sigma) returned fairly similar results but I got a slightly higher percentage of sharp shots in the 1/15th to 1/30s range with the Canon lens. So nods in this department to Canon.

Close-focus Capabilities

The clear winner in this category is the Sigma lens. Not only does it focus closer (see images below) but when photographing close subjects (e.g. head and shoulders or closer, the Sigma is significantly sharper at all apertures than the Canon lens. The Canon does not seem to like close subjects and optical performance really suffers. This is not a good lens to use for close-up work!

sigma at closest focus at 50mm

Canon closest focus at 55mm

Sigma close detail sharpness at f8

Canon close detail sharpness at f8

Conclusion

Which lens you choose all depends on your budget and on your needs. If want the best overall optical performance for your dollar then the  Tamron SP AF17-50 f2.8 Xr Di II is a fantastic buy! Although I did not this test the lens directly against the Canon lens, I think it is just as sharp at all apertures but it costs almost 1/3rd the price of the Canon lens! But the Tamron is not a lens to buy if you rely on auto-focus. This is a good landscape lens when used on a tripod and focused manually in live view. But do not try action photos with this lens or you’ll be disappointed.

If you want a lens with good all around performance at the a reasonable price, then the Sigma 17-50mm f2.8 lens might be the lens for you. The Sigma is as good as the Canon lens in terms of auto-focus, it’s a sharp as the Canon lens when stopped down to at least f5.6 and it is a much, much better lens for close-up subjects. As well the contrast on the Sigma lens is snappy and the colour rendition is accurate. The Sigma is a better landscape lens than the Canon because it has better performance in the f11-f16 range which are apertures often needed for depth-of-field. Also the lens is the lightest of the bunch. I would recommend this lens for nature and generic photography.

If you want to photograph people, sports, or action or hand-held street photography where  wide apertures like f2.8 or f4 are regularly used then the Canon 17-55 f2.8 lens lens is the best choice. It’s sharp edge-to-edge when wide open (with little fringing), has great image stabilization and zippy auto-focus. The drawbacks are its heavier weight, poor close-focus performance, flat contrast and cool colour rendition and large price tag.

In short, none of these lenses are perfect but some work better for some purposes than others. As always try before you buy but hopefully this review will help narrow your choices.

©Darwin Wiggett - Sigma 17-50mm lens at f11

Photo Collage

More, Film vs Digital

Film Photography Resources

There is a glaring omission in digital photography that hasn't been overcome yet. For the most part, every digital camera is the same as every other in its class/price-range. With very few exceptions, within the budget of the average consumer there are three choices: point and shoot cameras, "prosumer" cameras, and SLR cameras, and that's all. Do you want a swing-lens panoramic camera? Good luck. Do you want a square format camera? Keep dreaming. Like many things in life, for most people photography is more than just the end result. The enjoyment of the process itself is a crucial element. Do you miss viewing a square frame through a TLR's waist level finder, or the distinct look of a swing lens panoramic image, or the slow shutter low light abilities of a 35/1.4 on a rangefinder body? Someday the research, development, and production costs for digital cameras will drop to a point where products can be created for such niche markets. But for now, you are out of luck. This, in and of itself, is enough reason for many photographers to stay interested in film cameras and photography. Via the Film Photography forum on photo.net, as well as the various film photography articles and Filmtown Column, we are keeping the spirit of film photography alive.

This article courtesy of: Photo.net

A beginners' Guide to Film Photography

It was only about 15 years ago that camera manufacturers brought us the dawn of digital photography. Rumors spread that film was dead. Although the majority of professionals have made the transition from film to digital, film remains an extremely popular format, which we can all still learn from.

Where to start with film

For those that have taken up photography in recent years, film may seem like an ancient format that no longer serves a purpose. But I’m not going to spend the rest of this tutorial trying to compare film or digital photography in order to convert you! There are different techniques required, but much of what can be learned by understanding film photography can largely benefit your digital work. Even though I began my photography on digital, it was only once I picked up a film camera that I really began to understand the concepts of ISO, exposure, aperture and taking time to get the right shot!

Photo by Simon Bray

Film v. Digital

Although the preference of film or digital will always come down to the individual photographer, there are a few fundamental elements of film photography that I see as a distinct advantage over digital. With a film camera, you are doing all the work, you have to understand the physical process of the shot being taken and must have the correct exposure settings.
There isn’t the option of clicking away, checking the LCD, and trying again. For me, this means I feel far more involved with the shots that I’m taking. I also know I’m not letting the electronic brain of a digital camera do all the work for me.

Photo by misha maslennikov

The Cost

There is also the cost to consider. Many people would assume that film photography is more expensive due to having to buy film and pay for processing, but a decent film camera will last a lifetime. My old Pentax SLR is way older than me, works perfectly and won’t go out of date.
With digital cameras there is the almost yearly upgrade option. Manufacturers aim to ensure that you keep up with technology, have the most pixels, the newest features and the sharpest shots. Obviously these updates are beneficial, but they come at a price.

Photo by P▲R▲

Film Formats

Film comes in a few different flavors suited for different purposes. The main types are black & white, colour positive (slide film) and colour reversal (or negative). The most popular size of film is 35mm film. Many single lens reflex (SLR) and rangefinder cameras use this film. It typically comes in rolls that allow for either 24 or 36 exposures.
The two other major sizes of film are medium format film and large format film. Medium format film is much larger than 35mm film and requires a medium format camera. Medium format is regarded to be of higher quality than 35mm and is therefore still used by many professional photographers. It comes in 120 or 220 formats. Almost every medium format camera can use 120, as it has a paper backing. 220 does not, so only certain cameras can use it, but the lack of paper allows the roll to hold more film, twice as much to be exact.
Large format film is slightly different than both 35mm and Medium format film as it comes as individual 4′x5′ sheets (or ever larger) that have to be loaded into film holders. Each film holder must be loaded in the dark. Each holder also only holds two exposures. The traditional photographer’s vest with all the pockets was originally designed for large format users. You had to have a lot of pockets to hold all those film holders.

Photo by Simon Bray

Types of Film

Once you’ve decided which film format you’re going to use, there are many different types of film to choose from. Aside from the types mentioned earlier, companies such as Fuji, Ilford, Kodak and Agfa all make a large variety of films. Each have different capabilities depending on their ISO, purpose of use, contrast and speed.
An entire tutorial could be written about this topic alone, but before you rush out and buy loads of rolls of film, have a quick read up on the film manufactures website to work out which film best suits your needs. Also, try to avoid using the cheapest film; if you’ve got a good camera and you want to take great photos, then it’s worth using professional quality film.

Photo by boklm

Film Cameras

If you’ve taken an interest in the realm of film photography, you’ll want to decide on a film camera. Similarly to the world of digital photography, there are different cameras that suit different purposes. The most popular cameras are 35mm as I mentioned early. These cameras range from automated point-and-shoots to simple (but professional) rangefinder cameras to fully manual (or fully automated) SLR cameras.
The next step up is medium format cameras, which are slightly bulkier, but produce larger and higher resolution shots. If you really want to start with the basics, you could even try out a Lomo or toy camera which are very trendy at the moment and are designed to be very easy to use.

Photo by faiz tajuddin

Patience, Discipline and Getting Your Settings Right

One of the major differences between shooting digital and film is that with film, you don’t have the option to assess your shots as you are working. For some of you, that will take a lot of getting used to. You’ll no longer be able to use the trial and error method of photography. As far as I’m concerned, this is not a bad thing.
When shooting film, you need to take that little bit more time to ensure that your exposure settings are correct depending on the light available, for which a light meter can be very useful. You’ll need to check that you’ve got the composition just as you want it and that you’re happy with the shot you’re about to take. This all requires you to be very familiar with your camera. So be sure to read through the manual or spend time with your camera.
This discipline and patience means that a far higher percentage of the film shots that you take will be good quality shots and this practice has improved my overall photography significantly as I remember to take time over each shot and not just snap away hoping I’ll get the shot I want.

Photo by neiltron

Developing

Once you’ve taken your shots, you’ll have to be patient before you get to see them. For me, that’s all part of the fun. When you decide to get your film developed, make sure you get it done properly. If you’re not confident with developing it yourself, or you don’t have the resources, take it to a store or studio to get someone to develop it for you.
Remember that you’re trusting someone else to develop your shots, so take it to someone who you think will take care over developing your shots rather than paying a few dollars at the local mall. If you do get the chance, try and have a go at developing the shots yourself. This is a crucial part of film photography and gives you as the photographer far more control over what you’re producing.

Photo by J. Tegnerud

Scanning and sharing

When you do have your prints, chances are you’ll want to get them onto a computer somehow. Some print stores will be able to put the photos onto a disc for you, but please don’t use this as an alternative to getting them printed out. It detracts so much from the whole process. It’s a great moment when you first get to look through your new prints.
You then also have the option of scanning your shots into a computer, which is fine, but be aware that a low quality scanner will seriously diminish the quality of your shots. After scanning, you will be able to share your new beautiful film shots online and show the world how great they look. And don’t just leave the prints in a box somewhere!

Photo by paulo renato

Get Creative

Now’s your chance to go out and give film photography a try. Hopefully you have a better understanding of what film photography is all about and that there is a lot to be learned and enjoyed. Try to get your hands on a film camera. Save up a few pennies and find one on Ebay or go and have a look around the attic at you mum and dad’s house.
You can then head out on shoots with both your digital and film cameras and try out the different disciplines at the same time. Compare results and keep experimenting with film. You’ll soon be ready to try processing your own work!

Photo by Der Ohlsen

Are you already a film aficionado? Share links to your film images in the comments below. Let us know if you have a favorite film camera, and tell us your favorite film tips!

Article by: Simon Bray

Using Film Speed Effectively (Black & White Film Thoughts)

By Kelly Paal

It’s hard to find sometimes but it’s making a resurgence, black and white film. If you’ve never used this film now is the time to try it out. Here are some tips to using b&w film and what you can expect from the results.
1. Forget color. This is the hardest thing to do and the number one reason that you will not get good results with b&w film.
2. Look for contrast. Once you can ignore color look for contrast. You will want your image to have a bit more contrast than you would normally want in a color image.
3. Consider shooting situations that are more formal. Black and white film gives such a wonderful timelessness to an image and it’s perfect for formal situations.
4. Keep your photos simple. Black and white film simplifies so don’t fight it. Keep the images simple by keeping close to your subject or place your subject against a simple back drop.
5. Babies and pets look great on b&w film. Place the pet or baby on a white background and you’ll be stunned at the beautiful results.
Black and white film creates a timeless simple look. It’s wonderful for portraits and formal events. After shooting a few rolls of b&w you’ll notice that you start to pay attention to composition of your image more, since you don’t have to worry about color. If you’re just learned photography try using b&w film for awhile it will help you teach yourself good composition. Think of light and dark, black and white, and good composition and you’ll find that b&w film could be a whole new hobby for you.
Copyright 2004 Kelly Paal Kelly Paal is a Freelance Nature and Landscape Photographer, exhibiting nationally and internationally. Recently she started her own business Kelly Paal Photography (www.kellypaalphotography.com). She has an educational background in photography, business, and commercial art. She enjoys applying graphic design and photography principles to her web design.

Using Film Speed Effectively (Black & White Film Thoughts)

By Kelly Paal

So you have this great new camera. Now you’re standing in front of a display of more film that you’ve ever seen. All you want to do is take some great family photos but you don’t know where to start. Here’s short guide to help you get started.
Film speed is a number that represents the film’s sensitively to light. The higher the number the more sensitive to light, in that the less light is needed to take a well exposed photo. The number is also an indicator of the detail you will receive from the negative. The higher the number the more likely that you’ll see a graininess to the print when enlarged. Film speed goes from 25 to 1600 speed film.
25 to 200 Best for still life and portrait work, in studio conditions where the lighting is controlled. This is not the film for family shots indoors even with a camera mounted flash. You’d really need a complete lighting set up to use this film effectively. 200 speed film is very good for outdoor sunny conditions when you’re trying to get a shot of a beautiful landscape. It offers excellent detail and color saturation.
400 Considered the all purpose film. Most films touted as all subject or general purpose are really 400 speed film. When in doubt use 400 speed film. Though you may still be using your camera mounted flash in room lighting conditions. Also good for outdoor conditions, will give you some flexibility in darker conditions and where you are trying to capture a moving subject.
800 to 1200 Made for capturing fast moving subjects in all types of lighting situations. People running, playing ball, etc. This is the film you want if you want to freeze frame the action of a baseball game. This film speed can be used for capturing fast moving wildlife, like birds, but you will see less detail if you enlarge above a 16 by 20 size.
1600 This film is for super high speed shots. Unless you shooting a car or boat race you probably won’t need this film. Don’t use this for nature and landscape images the lack of detail will be obvious in enlargements.
Most of the time you’ll only need a 400 speed film for basic snapshots. But it doesn’t hurt to use the other speeds for special occasions, you’ll notice a difference.

Copyright 2004 Kelly Paal Kelly Paal is a Freelance Nature and Landscape Photographer, exhibiting nationally and internationally. Recently she started her own business Kelly Paal Photography (www.kellypaalphotography.com). She has an educational background in photography, business, and commercial art. She enjoys applying graphic design and photography principles to her web design.

Photography Jobs

Photography Jobs: Do You Have a Future in Photography?

By Colin Hartness

There is a wide world of photography. It touches each of us in our lives on a daily basis in some form or another. Photography is so much a part of our culture now that we hardly even notice all the places that it exists. When you watch television, look at a magazine or even view a billboard on the highway, this is all because of photography. There are so many ways that photography crosses our lives each day. There are a lot of opportunities for someone looking for photography jobs.

What Photography Jobs are Available?

If you enjoy photography and are thinking of it as a career, there are actually many different directions you can choose from. Obviously, there is professional photography but even in that choice there are many other smaller options that you have as well.

You can become a photographer in a special field such as wedding or family photographer. You can choose to make money taking pictures of things you love such as animals, nature or ships. If you enjoy scuba diving, you can become an underwater photographer. Pretty much anything you can think of, there is room to take and sell pictures of it.

If you love taking pictures and the idea of a career in photography sounds good to you, just how do you begin finding photography jobs?

How Do You Find Photography Jobs?

There are different ways of finding photography jobs, depending on the type of job you are looking for and your experience. You can begin by creating a resume and portfolio of your work. Then you can search on the internet at freelance photography job boards or photography websites and message boards. Get specific into types of photographing you have done and look on the internet for those.

You can go locally and look for internships or local firms or companies that may need photographers. You can get the word out by doing small events such as birthday parties and such. Get your name out as someone who will work these functions. Show friends and family samples of your work and ask them to spread the word. You may even want to participate in a charitable or non-profit event to boost your portfolio.

You can also begin submitting your work to contests and magazines to get yourself known and build your portfolio. Placing or winning in contests and getting published in magazines can help you build clips that you can use for getting bigger and better jobs.

Lastly, you can actually apply to jobs directly. It is best to do this only if you have the proper qualifications for the job. You don’t want to set your goals so high that you get let down but there is nothing wrong with going for what you want. Most importantly, get as involved with what you love as possible. Learn as much as you can about photography and what makes good photography. Subscribe to magazines, read books, look at winners of photography contests.

Looking for information about Photography? Go to: http://www.asaphotography.com
'ASA Photography' is published by Colin Hartness -
An excellent resource for Photography!
Check out more Photography articles at: http://www.asaphotography.com/archive

Photography 101 Part 1

By Kelly Paal

Equipment: camera, meter, flash, tripod

This article is a simplified photography course directed at new photographers out there who want to know where to start.
If you really want to learn photography the first thing you need is a good affordable and reliable camera. It must, and I repeat must, be able to shoot in fully manual and fully auto focus modes. (This leaves out any digital cameras on the market right now, sorry.) To really learn photography you must understand the equipment. You’ll need to learn how manipulating the shutter speed, aperture, and focus will have a dramatic effect on your photos. Meters, if you have a camera that can work in a fully manual mode it should have an internal meter suitable for what you will be doing. Tripod, you’re going to need one whether it’s portrait work or landscapes you’ll need one eventually. Luckily you don’t have to spend a lot here. Just something lightweight and durable. Flash, you can buy a separate camera mounted flash, which is great if you can afford it. Consider what kind of photography that you will be doing though. If you’re going to do mostly nature and landscape, you may only need the fill flash that comes with most cameras today. If you plan on doing portraiture alone you will want to consider a camera mounted flash that has an adjustable angle.
Film, film speed to be exact. Slower speeds (25 to 400) are intended for portraiture and landscape photography. Faster speeds (600 and above) are intended for actions shots and photojournalism. So first you need to know what you going out to photograph and make sure that you have the appropriate film for the job.
Now that you have the camera loaded with film consider shutter speed. Do you want to blur motion, or freeze it? If there is no motion at all what shutter speed do you need to expose the scene with natural light. From 1/60th and down to the bulb setting will blur most motion. For example if you want to blur the water in a waterfall, a setting of 1/30th should work. (You’ll need a tripod though.) 1/125th is a normal setting for most shots. On many cameras the 125th setting is marked in a different color to make it obvious. If you want to freeze action you’ll need to start with 1/500th and work up from there. The faster the motion the faster the shutter speed needed to stop motion. Many cameras go up to 1/2000th of a second. If you’re trying to use natural light alone in a scene you will want to determine the aperture first and then see what shutter speed you need to properly expose the scene for available light. (Keep in mind sometimes there isn’t enough light.)
Aperture, these are the set of numbers on your lens closest to the body of the camera. They can go from 1.8 to 22, and they are referred to as F-stops. These numbers determine how much light reaches the film inside of your camera. Most internal meters will blink on the appropriate aperture for the shutter speed that you’ve set, or the speed you’ve set will blink if your F-stop is correct for the speed. Both the F-stop and shutter speed can be changed to expose the scene correctly. Consider that the faster the shutter speed the more light will be needed to expose the scene correctly. This makes logical sense if you think about it. If the shutter isn’t open as long, fast shutter speed, then there is less light able to make it to the film and so the scene must be brighter to expose correctly. To learn, bracket your shots. Take the first shot at the aperture suggested by your meter, move one stop up, take a photo, one down, take another photo.
Flash, I personally like shooting with natural light whenever possible and at most I use a fill flash. But if you’re going to do portrait work then most of the time you may be indoors and you will need a flash sometimes. For the amateur the fill flash units that are on the top of most of today’s cameras are wonderful for basic work. You will have to read your manual on your particular flash unit to learn what it can and can’t do. This is where the camera that is fully manual and fully auto is great for the amateur. You can usually set it so that the camera will meter and set the flash output accordingly and then you still can control the shutter speed and aperture.
This week’s assignment: Have several rolls of 400 speed film, find a subject that you can work with preferably something that won’t move, and shoot one roll of film. Shoot some of the roll in the morning, afternoon, and evening. Bracket every shot, take notes on time of day and light conditions, and what your settings (aperture) were for each frame, keep the film speed the same for the entire roll. Have the film developed and examine the photos. You should be able to see a difference in each frame. You’ll need to repeat this procedure until you feel that you understand the relationship between shutter speed and aperture, and every camera and meter has it’s own quirks and differences, you’re camera will act differently than someone else’s. This way you will learn you own particular camera as well. Once you have a sense of how aperture works you won’t need to bracket every shot you take, you may only need to do it in cases where you want to be extra safe on exposing the subject correctly.
If you have some specific questions please visit my Photography Forum at: http://kellypaalphotography.com/v-web/bulletin/bb/index.php

Copyright 2004 Kelly Paal

Kelly Paal is a Freelance Nature and Landscape Photographer, exhibiting nationally and internationally. Recently she started her own business Kelly Paal Photography (www.kellypaalphotography.com). She has an educational background in photography, business, and commercial art. She enjoys applying graphic design and photography principles to her web design.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

Better Photo Tips - Flash Points

By Tedric Garrison

When it comes to electronic flash, one of the most common problems people run into is: "red eye". At one time or another, we've all either done it or seen it. You know what I'm talking about; that cute little toddler picture with the innocent looking grin and those demon looking red eyes that remind you of something out of a horror movie.
What causes red eye is simple enough; the light from your flash is reflecting off the back of your subject's eye. This is usually because your flash is at the same level as the subject's eye. This most often happens with any type of camera that has a built in flash.
It is human nature when taking a photo of someone's face to look them in the eye. Most built in flashes are only about 1 inch or so above the viewfinder that you look into; so if you are looking them in the eye AND they are looking you in the eye it stands to reason the flash is only about 1 inch above their eye level (even if it is further away).
With a built in flash you have several options to avoid the dreaded "red eye".
A) Avoid being at the same exact level as the subject. Shoot your photo from slightly above the subject or from slightly below the subject.
B) Avoid being in a direct line with the subject. Similar to above; but here you the photographer move slightly to the left or to the right to take your photo. Do NOT have the subject look directly into the lens. Tell them to look just past one of your shoulders, instead.
C) Diffuse the flash itself. Use a tissue or a thin handkerchief over the flash so that it does not over whelm the photo.
The main reason professional photographers use a separate flash for their photos; either handle mount or on the camera's hot shoe, is because it gives them more options when making a photo. With a bigger flash you can still do all the options listed above, PLUS:
D) Most bigger flash units have a tilt or swing function that allows you to bounce the flash off either a wall or a ceiling. (This also diffuses the light in your photo).
E) Many of the bigger flash units that can swing all the way around are often aimed into an umbrella or reflector of some type, to reflect the light and make it less harsh.
F) Most bigger flash units have a power ratio setting that lets you shoot at 1/2, 1/4th, 1/8th, 1/16th power or even less. A slight burst often will fill in what you need without being so over whelming that it reflects back.
G) Many of the separate flash units can connect through PC jacks on the camera. Why is that an advantage? The light source can be 10 feet away at a totally different angle and often fitted with an umbrella as well.
H) Some flash units can be fitted with actual filters, either to effect light density or color.
When it comes to bouncing light, reflecting light, or using power ratios the key is always practice before you get into the situation that you have to use it. Bouncing the light off a 9 foot ceiling is totally different than bouncing it off a 15 foot ceiling. This is where having a separate flash meter comes in very handy.
Do yourself a favor and find out what works best for you. Keep it simple. Don't try to bounce your light, use a flash filter, AND shoot at 1/2 power. Electronic flash is a powerful ally and does not have to over power the shot. Think of it as a tool; and like any tool it depends on how you use it that determines if it is helpful or not in taking better photos.
Award winning writer / photographer Tedric Garrison has 30 years experience in photography. As a Graphic Art Major, he has a unique perspective on the Elements of Design and how they relate to photography. His photo eBook; Finding Your Creative Edge in Photography, proves creativity CAN be taught. Tedric shares his wealth of knowledge with the world, at: Better Photo Tips.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tedric_Garrison
http://EzineArticles.com/?Better-Photo-Tips---Flash-Points&id=1426093

You Win Some/You lose some

 Pictured above is the Nikon N60 auto focus 35mm camera I won on Ebay today.  The opening bid price was one dollar.  No one else bid so I got the camera for the opening bid price.  There is a $12 shipping fee, but who cares?  I got another good camera to add to my collection.  I already have a lens for it so the fact that it comes without a lens is a non issue.  This would make a good student camera, and is one of many deals waiting for anyone willing to open a free Ebay account and make a bid.  

This is the one that "got away".  I had placed a bid on it the night before the auction ended.  I knew I would be away from my computer at 11:00am when the auction ended so I bid what I hoped would be high enough to get it at a bargain price. When I went to bed I was the 3rd bidder and had the high bid at $5.50.  I checked the auction again before leaving for work, I was still the high bidder at $5.50 .  Some time between 7am and 11am the bids started coming in. I had bid a maximum of $20.  The number of bidders went from 3 to 22.  Someone else bid $1.00 more than my maximum, so they are now the proud owner of this lens.  You win some you lose some.  'til next time...happy shutter bugging.

by:Darryl Turner

Portraiture: the Pleasure of Knowing People

By Len Bernstein

When I began to photograph, I thought a good portrait was the result of technical knowledge, intuition and luck, and if the gods of silver gelatin were smiling down on you, they all came together at the moment you released the shutter. But I was puzzled--how did one reveal the sitter's personality, or even recognize it? I acquired technique, but the essence of a person wasn't as clear cut as f16 at 250. And so I waited patiently for that fleeting, meaningful expression, and so often it eluded me.

I was fortunate to learn the reason why, as Aesthetic Realism taught me to ask the kind of questions every photographer should consider: Am I really interested in knowing another person deeply? Do I think their thoughts and feelings can add to me, make me more of an individual? As I hope to elicit an emotion in my subject, do I hope to have a large emotion myself? My answers, at the time, unfortunately ranged from maybe to no. For example, when I had a conversation with someone, I often only half-listened when they spoke, as I was thinking about something more important--what I had to say. This conceit didn't change just because I put on my "photographer's hat." While I was usually more attentive looking at someone through the viewfinder, I was photographing under a handicap, because if you aren't sure the depths of people are worth exploring, they're not likely to show them to you; and if they do, that significant moment can easily pass you by unnoticed!

In my first Aesthetic Realism consultation in 1975 I began to learn that, like every person, I had an attitude to the whole world that showed in the way I saw people. I had been married to Harriet for just 10 months when I was asked by the consultation trio The Kindest Art: "If you have to give your attention to something else, as a photographer, what does it take your attention away from for a while?" I answered, "From myself."

Consultants: Would you say you have that question with your wife--that is, if you give your thought to her for 15 minutes, those 15 minutes you can't give to yourself?

 

Len Bernstein: Yes, that makes sense.

 

Consultants: Now, do you think it's possible to feel that as you are giving your thought to something else, that you are taking care of yourself?

The Kindest Art was teaching me I could express myself through being fair to what is not myself, and this is what I was deeply hoping for as a photographer, but also as a husband, and simply as a human being--and as I studied this, a rift in me began to heal. In the days and weeks that followed, people and things took on new meaning for me. I was more excited than ever about photography, and began to have proud emotions wanting to know and be affected by Harriet. Shortly after this consultation I made this photograph of her.

I remember looking into her eyes and feeling so lucky we were learning how to have a good effect on each other.

The symmetrical composition and the even distribution of light and dark upon her features makes for serenity. But even as a woman sits reposefully, I learned, there is the motion of thought and feeling within her that takes in all of reality. It is in her expression--thoughtful, keen, and friendly. The lively, dark strands emerging from her bound hair are important; just imagine the photograph without them--see how it gets too placid? I think they comment on, give outward form to, the dynamic self within.

Film Photography on a Tight Budget

Edited by Lewis Collard, Maluniu, Krystle, Flickety and 6 others

1. Buy a camera and lens cheaply. Check eBay or other online auction sites to find a used camera. There are several things you can do to find the best camera at a good price:
   • 

     A tiny plastic Nikon F55 film SLR camera, dwarfed by an enormous Nikon digital SLR.
     Buy a cheap plastic autofocus SLR if you already have compatible lenses for it (if you have a digital SLR, for example). Plastic consumer cameras like the Nikon F55 and Canon EOS 300 sell for absurdly low prices. You may look silly shooting them, but the results you will get from these little cameras will be identical to those you would get from a much bigger and heavier professional SLR costing thirty times as much.
     
     Beware, however, of lenses that are specifically designed for digital SLRs, which usually have smaller sensors than 35mm film. They either won't mount on your camera (like with Canon lenses marked EF-S), or they won't cover the full 36x24mm frame (Nikon's DX lenses).
   • Basic autofocus zoom lenses a few years old are also inexpensive used. They are not good for low light, and not great in the moderately low light their maximum apertures permit, but about as good as any others at f/8 to f/16 (past that, diffraction limits the resolution of all lenses) except in trivial cases such as with brick walls. Autofocus lenses can help you save money from wasted pictures if you have trouble focusing manually, and are much better for moving subjects (which autofocus film SLRs can track and predict, though digital SLRs are much better for capturing single decisive moments reliably through bursts of photos, such as in sports).
   • 

     Cameras and lenses from obsolete camera systems, like this Canon A-1 and 50mm f/1.8, sell for absurdly cheap prices.
     Buy into an obsolete system. Demand for lenses from obsolete camera systems, meaning those completely incompatible with today's digital SLRs, is much lower, because nobody is buying them for use with digital. A couple of examples are Canon FD mount cameras (like the Canon A-1 and T90) and Minolta manual-focus cameras.
   • 

     Prime lenses in normal focal lengths are very cheap and sharper than lenses that cost several times as much.
     Buy simple prime lenses. "Prime" means a lens of a fixed focal length (i.e. not a zoom). "Simple" means lenses that are easy to manufacture. Very wide, and/or very fast, lenses cost more because they need very complex optics; lenses of sensible speed in normal focal lengths don't require complex optics and, consequently, are much cheaper. Best of all, these will permit you to shoot in less light and get sharper pictures than you would with a slower, more expensive, and heavier zoom lens. Look around for a 28mm f/2.8, 50mm f/1.8 (or f/2 if you're looking at Pentax), and 135mm f/2.8.
   • Alternatively, don't buy a camera. You probably already know several people who have an old, unused film camera or two whom you might be able to convince to lend one to you, or even give it to you.
2. 
   
   

   Even though shots from colour negative film won't jump off the screen and punch you in the head like slide films will, you can still get superb results from them. Shot with an Olympus Trip 35 and Fujicolor C200.
   Shoot colour negative film. Colour negative film can be developed very cheaply just about anywhere; slide film requires a very different process called E-6, which only a very small number of photo labs do. You won't get the same punchy colours that you can get on slide film (though some negative films, like Kodak Ektar 100, come close), but then you won't need to take out a bank loan to pay for each roll to be developed, either. On the other hand, the slides only need processing and then can be directly seen on a projector but with film you might want prints, which can be expensive. (If you intend to scan to digital, you only need the negatives.)
   
   If you like the look of black-and-white film, there are a couple of films that can be developed in the standard C-41 process used for colour negative films. Look for Kodak BW400CN (relatively low-contrast, great for people photos) and Ilford XP2 (high contrast).
   • Slide film has a much smaller exposure latitude and thus a much greater failure rate than print film except where one is consistently very precise, which doesn't suit many kinds of subjects. Projecting slide film destroys it in a matter of hours; regular slide shows do gradually consume the pictures' longevity.
3. 
   
   

   Shot with a c. 1954 Voigtländer Vito B, a 35mm camera.
   Stick to 35mm. While other film formats will offer more surface area (and, consequently, more resolution, and less grain at a given enlargement), many minilabs will not be able to develop and/or scan it, which means you'll have to go to a much more expensive lab to get it developed.
   • Proper technique with a slow film such as Fuji Velvia or Kodak Ektar, correct exposure, a moderate aperture, and a moderate shutter speed or tripod, can produce very sharp, fine-grained photos with an old 35mm SLR or even a nice point-and-shoot (which should choose a moderate or small aperture and a moderate to high shutter speed on its own in bright light).
4. 
   
   

   Buying several films in one go usually works out cheaper in the long run.
   Buy lots of film. Buy as much as you can afford. Like everything else, buying things in bulk works out much cheaper. Also, if you buy film that is close to the expiration date it's cheaper. Wrap it tight in plastic and throw it in the freezer. It will keep for years. Just make sure you defrost it in the plastic--otherwise you'll get condensation on the film.
   • Even kept in a freezer, film eventually deteriorates and high-speed film - ISO 400 and above -- deteriorates faster. Long-expired film isn't worth the trouble of shooting and the cost of developing unless one wants special effects technically poorer than a cheap digital camera's photos.
5. 
   
   

   This shot was scanned automatically in a minilab. (Shot with a Canon T90 and Kodak Ektar 100.)
   Don't buy a scanner. Your lab owns some incredibly expensive equipment and nearly all of them will have a scanner built into their minilab. Most labs will get great results with their automated scans. Shop around.
6. 
   
   

   Film is best suited to still subjects, not things that move. (Shot with a Canon T50 and Fuji Velvia 50.)
   Shoot film for what it's best at. Film is ill-suited to action (sports, moving wildlife, and so on) that require split-second timing and usually need several shots taken in a second. That gets expensive; get a digital SLR for that kind of thing. On the other hand, film is great for stills, like landscapes, statues, and plants.
7. 
   
   

   Get out when the light is good. (Shot with a Pentax ZX-M on Fuji Sensia 400.
   Get out when the light is good. Meaning, don't shoot in boring midday sunlight. Great light happens in the early morning and late evening, within about a one-hour window before and after sunset and sunrise. The better the light, the fewer mediocre pictures you'll take, which means more winners per roll, which means you're not blindly shooting tons of film in the hope of getting one or two good ones, which saves you money!
8. 
   
   

   Take a few moments to simplify and refine your composition. (Shot with a Canon T90 and Kodak Ektar 100.)
   Think before you shoot. Rather than blindly shooting, learn to see. Spend a few minutes refining and simplifying your composition. More winners per roll means you'll be spending less on film.
9. 
   
   

   Your motor drive might look cool, but keep it turned off so that you don't waste film.
   Shoot a frame at a time. If you've got a motor-driven camera, set it to its single-frame mode. If you've got an add-on motor drive, leave it at home (or keep it on your camera but turn it off, because they look seriously cool). You can easily find yourself taking several shots of the same thing if you have some film-burning motor-driven monster. Your roll won't go as far, which means you'll be wasting money.
10. 
    
    If you are unsure about exposure, such as with a backlit subject, err toward overexposure with color print film (unless the shutter speed would have to be so slow as to cause blur). If you want a darker picture you can adjust it on a computer, but you can't add detail that isn't there. Two or three stops over shouldn't blow out most of the highlights badly. (You could bracket exposure, but this is an article about how to get decent results for cheap.)
11. 
    
    Don't get prints. If you're looking to show off your work on the Internet, the following process usually works out quite a bit cheaper: Just get your scans toasted to a CD, and if there are some you really like you can always get them printed later at a very reasonable price. The pharmacy CVS, the warehouse store Costco, and the mail-order processor Dwayne's Photo will inexpensively process and scan film without printing it. Costco and Dwayne's Photo tend to have multiple knowledgeable staff at any given time and use higher resolution.
12. 
    
    

    Longer developing times usually work out quite a lot cheaper. Although some labs will give you a free film if you go for one hour; which has reasonable results, like this shot.^[1]
    Go for a longer development time. Unless you're terminally impatient, rather than go for one-hour developing, get it developed next-day, or maybe over a few days if you're extremely patient.
    
    On the other hand, some labs will give you a free film if you go for one-hour developing. Sometimes these give superb results, so take one for a spin.
    This article courtesy of: WikiHow