CAMERAS

HOW TO USE A DIGITAL AND SLR CAMERA

AND THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THEM

Konica Minolta Dynax-Maxxum 5D Digital

Nikon Coolpix digital camera
SLR Camera
 INTRODUCTION
THERE ARE LOTS DIFFERENT STYLES OF PHOTOGRAPHY AND TYPES OF PICTURES YOU
CAN TAKE.

Fashion
Photo Journalism paparazzi Landscape
photography
photography

Art created
Travel photography Still life Wedding
photography portraiture
photography photography
 So what are cameras?
A camera is a device that records/stores images. These images may be
still photographs or moving images such as videos or movies.
cameras generally consist of an enclosed hollow shape with an
opening at one end for light to enter, and a recording or viewing
surface for capturing the light at the other end. A majority of cameras
have a lens positioned in front of the camera's opening to gather the
incoming light and focus all or part of the image on the recording
surface. still cameras take one photo each time the shutter button is
pressed.
Camera’s can act as time capsules that record the information and
personal response of options and themes that take place in life. A lot
of photographers choose to use cameras to explore their experiences.
 EXPOSURE
Exposure means how much light the film or sensor is exposed to when
the lense is open. If the exposure it too high the image will ‘wash
out’ or if it is too low the image will be dark. In modern cameras
this is usually default and produces really good pictures in the right
environments. When no artificial light is used, in weather and
landscape photography for example, the exposure is determined by
aperture, shutter speed and ISO and each affect each other.
 ISO
ISO is the element you can adjust in the film. It stands for
International Standardisation Organisation and their film ratings are
used to indicate the relative amount of light needed to give proper
exposure and determines how quickly a film or sensor will respond
to a certain amount of light. The most common films are at ISO 100
or 200. ISO 100 is normal films but ISO 200 will give the same
exposure with half the light which enables you to shoot in lower
light or with a smaller aperture or shutter speed. The lower the ISO
the less sensitive. The most range is from 50 to 3200 but it depends
on the model or film. The ISO speeds most common are:
• ISO 100 or 200- use in high light outside with sunny conditions
• ISO 400 to 800- use in medium light or a cloudy day to evening
• ISO 1600- use in low light or night time
 DEPTH OF FIELD
Depth of field is the how much of the objects in the image are in focus. Lenses only focus on one
particular distance but changing the depth of field allows the photographer to emphasise certain
elements and isolate them in portraits for example and make everything in the foreground and
distance sharp in landscape photography. You can alter the depth of field through;
The aperture, the smaller the aperture the greater the depth of field,
The focus point, the further you focus into the distance the greater the depth of field in relation to
close ups,
The lense, the shorter the focal length of the lense the larger the depth of field. Also the wider the
lense the greater the field of view but the closer you need to be to the subject. The wider lense is
less magnified than the smaller one but the background appears sharper.
The type of camera also effects the depth of field. If the sensor is small the depth of field will be
greater than larger sensors which are shallower but larger sensors offer the photographer greater
control. Aperture size and shutter speed affect an images sharpness and definition. With a small
aperture the effects of diffraction ( see aperture an f-stop for definition) outweigh the larger
depth of field causing a reduction and this small aperture increases the shutter speed which has a
negative effect unless you are using a tripod which limits this but is not always practical.
There is also depth of focus which should not be confused with depth of field as they are two
separate things. Depth of focus is how far the sensor can be moved away from the point of focus
and still produce a sharp image.
 SHUTTER SPEED
The shutter speed is how quickly the shutter opens and closes and it determines the amount of
time the light has to reach the film or sensor. The shutter speed options depend on the type
of camera and can be fractions of a second or seconds. If too much light enters when the
shutter is open for too long your image will become over exposed and pale or white.
with day time photography shutter speeds are
usually high. Shutter speed on manual older
cameras were adjusted using dials on the top or
front but now are adjusted electronically and now
have longer shutter speed options. The faster the
shutter speed the less motion so the clearer
more focused the picture.
high= clear and sharp
mid= middle
Low=blurry
Altering the shutter speed will also directly alter the
Aperture settings on digital and SLR cameras
 APERTURE AND F-STOP
Aperture is controlled by the lens and is the amount of light that it lets through the
shutter. It also effects the focus and depth of the picture. At smaller
apertures(high f-stops) the lense acts as a pin-hole and everything will appear
sharp whereas with larger apertures everything except objects quite close to the
lense will be un-sharp. So although you usually want as large a aperture as
possible it depends on the type of photography. Diffraction is noticeable at
smaller apertures also. Diffraction is caused by the wave nature of light and how
its behaviour changes when it passes through an aperture or against the subject
and can affect the sharpness and definition of the image. Each F-stop setting is
half the size of the setting before it and double the size of the one after it. The
higher the f number the smaller the aperture setting. Wider aperture setting are
commonly used for close up and portrait shots.
 THE EFFECTS OF CHANGING THESE
EXPOSURE SETTINGS
As mentioned before exposure can be controlled by changing the shutter speed, aperture and ISO
and they all affect each other and do not always have positive effects on the quality of the image.
• Large apertures cause visible lens errors to the photo such as aberration (deviation from what is
expected) and un-sharpness. A tip is to use 2 or 3 stops smaller than wide if you have enough
light to reduce this.
• Small apertures also cause un-sharpness due to diffraction of light so should be avoided if
possible.
(remember aperture determines depth of focus which is not such an issue in weather photography
for example but it is in macro photography)
• Long exposure times (low shutter speeds) need tripods and will blur moving subjects however
short exposure times are not always possible due to low light.
• low ISO numbers require longer exposure which is not always possible and high ISO numbers
suffer from coarse film grain in film and thermal noise with digital sensors.
When choosing setting it depends on what you are photographing, in what style and how much
light you have. In some styles or lighting one aspect mat be more important than another and as
a photographer it takes practice to know what settings are needed, although several combinations
will produce the same effects.
 VEIWFINDERS,SHUTTER FLASH AND LIGHT
SENSORS
Viewfinders- a viewfinder is the ‘window’ you look through to compose a scene. There are four types of common
viewfinders.
Optical viewfinders, they are small, hard to use and often inaccurate as they
are placed on top of the lense and what you see through it isn’t necessarily
what is projected onto the sensor.
LCD screens, show the image the sensor pics up in real time. It shortens battery life and it may be difficult to frame
accurately in bright sunlight. (SLR cameras only show the image
after it is taken)

Optical viewfinders, show what will be projected onto the sensor using mirrors. Saves battery life and allows you to look
directly through the lense so more accuracy.

Electronic viewfinders, act like LCD screens and show what is being projected
in real time which allows you to frame more accurately especially in bright sunlight.

Shutter flash- when the shutter release button is pressed all the way down to take a photo the camera triggers the flash
which illuminates the scene. This can be controlled by the different settings. On manual mode (M) the flash operates at
full capacity and it is up to the photographer to adjust all the exposure settings according to this, in automatic mode (A)a
flash sensor on the camera measures the amount of light and sets the flash intensity according to this and in TTL mode
(through-the-lens) the flash sensor is inside the camera body and can tell the flash what aperture and ISO is being used
and adjust accordingly though this is not available on all camera models.
Light sensors- we already briefly covered this in shutter flash but light sensors monitor the amount of light around and
being produced and also verify colour information. Light sensors can be inside and outside of the camera.
SLR: Single Lens Reflex camera
A single-lens reflex (SLR) camera is a camera
that typically uses a semi
automatic moving mirror system that permits
the photographer to see exactly
what will be captured by the film or digital
imaging system (after a very small
delay).

They are the most expensive of all digital

cameras because they can take higher quality
images and have various adjustable settings
and add-ons.

They give you more creative control over your

picture and allow you to use interchangeable
lenses, control over shutter speeds and
aperture and a choice between manual and
auto focus.
Another diagram of an SLR camera
 FUNCTIONS OF A SLR CAMERA
This is where all the relevant information is displayed. Such
as time settings, date, sound, light, ISO etc.
PORTRAIT
This mode will blur the background to make the subject stand out. The camera’s built-in flash will
automatically ‘pop-up’ and fire if required.
LANDSCAPE
Will give front to back sharpness by maximizing Depth of Field. Mounting the camera on a
tripod will give the best results.
CLOSE UP
This will allow a close focusing distance for subjects such as insects, flowers, etc. As with
Portrait, the flash will fire automatically if needed.
SPORTS
Use this mode to freeze the movement of fast moving sport and action subjects.
PROGRAM AE (P)
 Like the Full Auto mode, this is for general purpose photography but it allows you to choose the Shutter Speed and
Aperture whilst the exposure remains the same.
SHUTTER SPEED PRIORITY AE (or Time Value)
 This allows you to set fast or slow Shutter Speeds to freeze or blur movement. Perfect for sport and action photography.
 
APERTURE PRIORITY AE (or Aperture Value)
 Allows you to set a larger or smaller Aperture to blur the background or increase Depth of Field . Ideal for portraits and
landscapes.
 FUNCTIONS OF A SLR CAMERA
MANUAL EXPOSURE (M)
 In this mode you can set both the Shutter Speed and the Aperture for total control although the camera will warn
you if the Exposure setting is incorrect.
 
DEPTH OF FIELD AE (DEP)
 Focusing on both the foreground and background subject ensures front to back sharpness in your picture. A tripod
is always recommended when using this mode.
  
AE LOCK (Partial Metering)
 You can lock the Exposure, recompose and refocus the picture, without altering the Auto Exposure (AE) setting.
 
EXPOSURE COMPENSATION
 You can override the exposure set by the camera at the press of a button. This can be applied to darken or lighten a
picture as you choose.
 
MULTIPLE EXPOSURES
 Several images on a single frame can be achieved by not advancing the film.
 
BULB EXPOSURE
 Primarily for capturing night scenes, this mode exposes the film for as long as the Shutter button is held down,
usually in excess of 30 secs. To avoid camera shake, a tripod and remote release are essential.
 
AUTO EXPOSURE BRACKETING (AEB)
 In ‘contrasty’ situations you may be unsure of what the correct exposure ought to be . The AEB function will set a
correct, under and over Exposure in chosen stop increments.
 
 HOW TO USE A SLR CAMERA
1. Turn the camera on using the ‘on- off’ switch. The
Screen should light up.

2. Set your exposure settings. Digital SLR cameras have a

Variety of exposure settings that allow you to take
photographs in many different environments and
settings. The exposure modes include an auto-multi
program ("P"), shutter priority ("S") and aperture
priority auto ("A") and manual ("M"). If you are not sure
on what setting the camera should be on to produce a
suitable photo the camera can be put on auto mode
which makes the camera automatically provide the best aperture for picture.

3. Tap the shutter button to focus your camera. Digital SLR set to
"Aperture Priority," you will also have the ability to use the auto-focus.
To focus on your subject, aim your camera at your subject and press
the shutter button half way. If you are looking through the lens when
you tap the shutter button you will notice as the camera adjusts its focus to your subject.

4. Take a picture. Once your camera is in focus, fully press in the shutter button. You will hear a click and
see the viewfinder of your camera go black for a fraction of a second. Immediately on the back display
of your camera, you should see the picture you have just taken. You can then decide to keep or delete
the photo.
(from Ehow)
VIDEOS ON HOW TO USE A SLR
•
CAMERA
How to use a SLR camera- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OA0MM30i244&feature=email
• Getting ready to use your SLR camera- http://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=mP-mSJPYviM&feature=email
• An overview of SLR cameras- http://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebG855de42k&feature=BFp&list=WLF9CBC7794E2DB972&index=2
• How to use wide-angle lenses on your digital SLR- http://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtso_zBDmns&feature=BFa&list=WLF9CBC7794E2DB972&index=3
• How to use zoom and telephoto lenses on your digital SLR- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-
O4yNVV3wBQ&feature=BFa&list=WLF9CBC7794E2DB972&index=4
• Understanding your digital SLR's mode dial- http://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_EQHuk0634&feature=BFa&list=WLF9CBC7794E2DB972&index=5
• Using your digital SLR's shutter priority mode- http://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HeEIWYXgB8&feature=BFa&list=WLF9CBC7794E2DB972&index=6
• An overview of digital SLR lenses- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_
8jdmyF6BSo&feature=BFa&list=WLF9CBC7794E2DB972&index=7
• Using your digital SLR's aperture priority mode- http://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2i2DqsTVl0&feature=BFa&list=WLF9CBC7794E2DB972&index=8
• How to take close-up shots with your digital SLR- http://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bgs8ajLm6xs&feature=BFa&list=WLF9CBC7794E2DB972&index=9
• Macro Photography Tutorial- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjEFVxMi6HY&feature=related
 ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES
OF USING A SLR CAMERA
ADVANTAGES: DISADVANTAGES:
• SLR camera’s are good for taking • most are big and heavy
pictures from a long distance • overall accessories and gear (including
•suitable for mid-shots. lenses) is very heavy
•suitable for professional and amateur • hard to operate initially
use • difficult to change lenses continuously
•Easy to adjust the camera settings • difficult to operate numerous buttons
• more flexibility • expensive initially
• better image quality • susceptible to dust contamination and
• better performance damage
• easily upgradeable
 Digital camera

A digital camera is a camera that takes video or still

photographs, or both, digitally by recording images via an
electronic image sensor.

Digital cameras come in a range or sizes and capabilities and

have varying resolutions. Most digital cameras are also small
which makes them easy to carry around.

Digital cameras are simple and easy to use which is always

good.
 CONTROLS OF A DIGITAL CAMERA
• Shutter button: push all the way down to take the picture
• control buttons: adjust various camera settings
• shooting mode dial: change among different scene modes, adjust
exposure choices etc
• microphone: to capture audio for movie clips and voice annotations
• focus- assist light: helps the camera focus in dim lighting conditions
• electronic flash: provides additional light to your scene
• optical viewfinder: to frame and compose your picture
• zoon lens and control: magnifies or reduces size of the image.
• tripod socket: allows you to attach the camera to a firm support
• docking port: can be used to transfer photos, recharge batteries, make
prints and other functions
• battery compartment: contains the cells that power the camera
• power switch: turns the camera on and off
• indicator LED’s: show the camera’s status
• LCD (liquid crystal display) panel: the camera’s display
• display control/ menu button: controls the amount of information
shown in the LCD and menus
• picture review: press this button to review the picture you have already
taken
• cursor pad: navigate menu choices
• set/execute button: activate a feature or set a menu choice to the
current selection
• memory card slot: accepts digital memory cards for more storage
• USB port: access for a USB cable
• file-save LED: this lights up to indicate that an image is being saved to
the memory card
 Screen shot of Image Size Menu

FUNCTIONS OF A DIGITAL CAMERA

• F-stop and depth of field •macro mode- select the MACRO
MODE function (by pressing the tulip button/area)
Once you have selected it, the tulip image becomes
smaller and appears on one side of the LCD screen

• custom white balance- Take

or measure the light inside our system
by using the custom white balance
feature on your camera. Please do
these adjustments with the shutter • file size- Screen shot of Image Size
speed set at 1/400 (for fluorescent) or
Menu •Resolution- Screen shot of Image
1/100 (for halogen) and the ISO at 80. Resolution Menu
HOW TO USE A DIGITAL CAMERA
1. Turn on the digital camera. Press the on/off
button. The display screen will light up
which this mean the camera is on.
2. On the display screen you will see the
picture. Keeping your hand steady the
camera will focus on your subject.
3. When you are ready you can take the
picture of your subject by Pressing the
shutter button. Immediately on the back
display of your camera, you should see the
picture you have just taken. You can then
decide to keep or delete the photo.
4. For video change mode and press record.
5. press playback button to view video
6. To change to night mode, auto, black and
white etc press the menu button and select
the appropriate option
ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES
OF USING A DIGITAL CAMERA
ADVANTAGES:
• Displays images on a screen after it has been
recorded
•Store thousand of images on a small memory card.
•Video recording with sound
•Options to delete images for more storage space
• eliminates film processing
• fast operating speed DISADVANTAGES:
• face detection • personal preference
• motion detection • memory card problems
• quick and simple • higher cost
• night modes • batter consumption
• easy image editing • easy to loose as so small in some
• waterproof (some) cases
• value for money
• portable
 CAMERA TECHNIQUES
Really good website for camera
techniques: how to take photos
at night, how to get more focus,
how to blur portrait backgrounds
etc....
http://www.dslrtips.com/workshops/DSLR_workshops_tutorials_tips.sht
ml
 CAMERA TECHNIQUES
• I found a really good website where you can get
loads of useful information on cameras.
• Visit this website for techniques and tips tutorials
on cameras. Learn, PHOTOGRAPHY TECHNIQUES
& STYLES, COLOR MANAGEMENT & PRINTING,
PHOTO EDITING & POST-PROCESSING, CAMERA
EQUIPMENT and CONCEPTS & TERMINOLOGY

• http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials.htm