Outdoor And Waterproof Digital Cameras

by Photo-John

Rugged Digital Cameras For Backpacking,
Cycling, Boating, And The Worksite

With the summer beach and travel season coming up and the recent announcement of Ricoh’s new G600 water-resistant and shockproof digital camera, I thought it would be good to do a roundup of current outdoor-friendly compact digital cameras. By “outdoor-friendly,” I mean cameras that have some level of moisture resistance and can take some physical abuse - cameras you can take to the beach, camping, etc. Right now, between Olympus, Pentax, and Ricoh, people who want a rugged, moisture-resistant digital camera have plenty of choices.

Olympus, Pentax and Ricoh have all been making waterproof cameras for a few years now. The waterproof Pentax Optio W-Series cameras are in their third generation. I reviewed their first waterproof camera, the 5-megapixel Pentax Optio WP, back in 2005. Olympus has two lines of cameras that qualify, the venerable Olympus Stylus cameras, which began as weatherproof 35mm point-and-shoots; and the Olympus Stylus SW line, which is shockproof, waterproof, crushproof, and freezeproof. Over the years I’ve had the opportunity to use a few of the original 35mm Olympus Stylus cameras and I’ve reviewed a couple of the Olympus Stylus digitals as well as the first of the waterproof and crushproof cameras, the Olympus Stylus 720 SW. And right now, I actually have their latest – the Olympus Stylus 1030 SW – a 10-megapixel camera that can withstand a 6-foot drop and can be submerged to about 30 feet underwater. Ricoh’s new G600, which got me started on this article, is their second waterproof camera. Like the Olympus Stylus SW cameras, it’s not only waterproof but built to withstand drops and other impacts.

If you spend a lot of time outdoors or in environments where there’s a lot of moisture, you should take a look at the digital cameras listed below. Kayakers, boaters, fishermen, mountain bikers, skiers, and serious hikers will all appreciate having a digital camera they don’t have to worry about getting wet. Contractors or other professionals that need a small, rugged digital camera will appreciate the Olympus Stylus SW and Ricoh G600, which are built to military shockproof standards. I’ve used the Olympus Stylus and Stylus SW cameras as well as the Pentax’s waterproof Optio line for mountain biking, skiing, and other outdoor activities. So I can tell you from experience, being confident that your camera can take some abuse means getting more and better photos, no matter where you are or what you’re doing. And better photos are what it’s all about.

Photo-John Recommends
The current king of outdoor digital cameras is, without a doubt, the new 10-megapixel, shockproof and waterproof Olympus Stylus 1030 SW. It can be dropped from 6 feet, submerged to 30 feet, frozen, stepped on, fallen on, etc. If you need a camera that can take a beating, the Olympus Stylus 1030 SW is the best there is. If you don’t need the burliness of the 1030 SW, the weatherproof Olympus Stylus 1200 can handle rain and splashing without worries. And the 12-megapixel sensor, 7x optical zoom lens, and Dual Image Stabilization ensure it will capture excellent quality photos.

Olympus Stylus 1030 SW

Olympus Stylus 1200

Read Reviews and Shop
For Outdoor & Underwater Digital Cameras

Olympus Shockproof & Waterproof Digital Cameras:
Olympus Stylus 1030 SW
Olympus Stylus 850 SW
Olympus Stylus 790 SW
Olympus Stylus 770 SW

Olympus Weatherproof Digital Cameras:
Olympus Stylus 1020
Olympus Stylus 1010
Olympus Stylus 840
Olympus Stylus 1200
Olympus Stylus 830
Olympus Stylus 820
Olympus Stylus 780
Olympus Stylus 760

Pentax Waterproof Digital Cameras:
Pentax Optio W30

Ricoh Shockproof and Waterproof Digital Cameras:
Ricoh G600
Ricoh Caplio 500G Wide
Ricoh Caplio 500SE

http://megablitz.blogspot.com

Olympus E-520 Review

by Photo-John

The Olympus E-520 is a 10-megapixel digital SLR with a compact body, built-in image stabilization, a 2.7-inch LCD with live view, and enough exposure modes to please any photographer. It’s part of the Four Thirds System, which uses a smaller 4:3 aspect ratio imaging sensor that helps keep the camera body and lenses small and light.

Pros Light and compact Built-in mechanical image stabilization Super Control Panel LCD interface Excellent, compact lenses Lots of customization possible 3.5 frames-per-second frame rate Supersonic Wave Filter dust reduction system Great value	Cons Image quality isn’t as good as the competition Sometimes auto focus locks up Only three auto focus points Menus and customization options can be overwhelming

Introduction
I’ve been using the E-520 since Olympus sent me a pre-production camera in the early spring. On the surface it looks almost exactly like the E-510. However, there’s a lot more to the E-520 than meets the eye. It has a new 10-megapixel sensor, new TruePic III image processing, new LCD, Live View with auto focus and face detection, improved in-camera image stabilization, and better high ISO performance. I’ve shot a wide variety of stuff with it including candid people photos, spring ski photos and hundreds of mountain bike pictures. I’ve actually used it more than any other camera while I’ve had it. Let me tell you why…

Features
The Olympus E-520 might look small and insubstantial compared to some other DSLRs. But don’t let the size fool you. Olympus has packed a lot of features into the E-520 and it’s definitely more than the sum of its apparent parts.

One thing that sets the Olympus digital SLRs apart from Nikon and Canon (Pentax and Sony have similar built-in image stabilization systems) is the built-in, sensor-level image stabilization. No matter what lens you use, the image-stabilized sensor will compensate for camera shake. The E-520 has the same two axis image stabilization of previous models and a new IS mode for vertical panning.

The E-520 offers a full range of exposure modes, from full manual to full auto, with Program, priority modes, and scene modes to cover most any situation. The sensitivity range is ISO 100 to 1600 and there are five metering modes including spot, Hi Spot Metering (HI) and Shadow Spot Metering (SH). The Hi Spot and Shadow Spot modes compensate for bright or dark subjects so the photographer doesn’t have to. White balance options include auto, four presets, three programmable custom settings, and selectable color temperature. The camera also includes Olympus Shadow Adjust Technology. The Shadow Adjust feature lightens shadows to increase the dynamic range of contrasty photos (see below). It is applied automatically in scene modes, with Face Detection, and when Live View is being used. It can’t be used on RAW images, although RAW files can be converted to JPEG in the camera and then Shadow Adjust can be applied.

Olympus Shadow Adjust samples: Left image is not adjusted and the right photo has had Shadow Adjust applied. Click to see larger versions.

Auto focus can be set for single shot, continuous, manual, or S-AF+MF and C-AF+MF. The last two use auto focus but allow the photographer to manually override. There is no manual focus switch and unless you’re using one of the Olympus SWD lenses, the focus ring doesn’t even engage unless a manual focus mode is selected. That’s something I don’t recall seeing on any but Olympus DSLRs. The three auto focus points can be individually selected or you can let the camera choose the one it thinks is best. Face detection, a standard digital camera feature now, is also included.

Olympus was the first company to introduce Live View and an anti-dust system and the E-520 has both. The 2.7-inch 230k HyperCrystal II LCD can be used in Live View mode and auto focus - though slow - is possible. The E-520 has a built-in pop-up flash like other cameras in its class as well as wireless flash capability with either the Olympus FL-50R or FL-36R flashes. This camera offers a truly surprising level of customization, including the ability to change the direction of the focus ring or exposure dial. It can take some time and effort to discover all the possibilities. But if there’s something you don’t like, there’s a good chance it can be customized somewhere in the camera’s menu system.

All Olympus E-520 Camera Menus >>

Design
The main design element of the Olympus E-520 is its small size. It’s not as small as the Olympus E-420, currently the world’s smallest digital SLR. But within the overall DSLR size spectrum it’s very compact. The E-520’s Four Thirds sensor is smaller than the APS-C sensors in comparable DSLRs and makes it possible for Olympus to keep E-System camera bodies and lenses very compact. The E-520 body is actually about the same size as the Nikon F60 and Canon XS, but the smaller Four Thirds sensor and 2x digital crop factor makes smaller lenses possible and makes the overall package lighter and smaller than what you’d carry with a Nikon or Canon kit.

Like other entry-level DSLRs, the Olympus E-520 has a single dial exposure control system. There’s a thumb-accessed dial at the top right of the camera that changes exposure. You can toggle between aperture and shutter with a button just behind the shutter release button. For first-time DSLR owners, the single dial exposure control will be no problem. But for photographers used to having separate dials for shutter speed and aperture, it can take some getting used to. It can be even more difficult if this is a second body and your main camera has two dials. However, it does help keep the camera small and you can get used to it. I’ve learned to switch between the E-520 and two-dial cameras without much trouble.

The camera’s controls are comfortable and intuitive. The various buttons and dials on the top and rear of the camera are labeled well and function easily. I really appreciate the ease of the LCD “Super Control Panel.” (See right) Just press the OK button and then use the arrow pad to quickly change settings like ISO, white balance, focus mode, metering mode, flash, and even color and image quality settings.

The E-520 is more menu-driven than other digital SLRs. That’s actually standard with Olympus digital SLRs. There are dedicated controls for the most used settings, like auto focus, white balance, ISO, image stabilization, and metering mode. But the camera also has layers and layers of menu controls and settings. There are pros and cons to the deep menu. On the one hand, the E-520 and other Olympus digital SLRs offer a level of customization I don’t believe is available from any other camera maker. They go as far as allowing the user to choose which direction the manual focus ring turns. However, it can take some effort to discover some important options and the menus can be confusing. For example, until I started writing this review, I thought the E-520 had no depth-of-field preview. Turns out the Fn button can be programmed for depth-of-field preview. So don’t ignore the customizable Fn button. The default Fn setting toggles face detection on and off, but it can also be programmed to control auto focus functions, custom white balance, and depth-of-field preview, and can even completely turned off.

Camera Experience
When it comes to outdoor photography, where smaller and lighter really count, the E-520 is the first camera I reach for. Because it’s so compact and versatile, I particularly enjoy the E-520 for backcountry mountain bike photos. My regular mountain bike riding camera setup right now is the E-520 with the Zuiko Digital ED 70-300mm f/4.0-5.6 and the Zuiko Digital ED 12-60mm f/2.8-4.0 SWD lenses. With the E-520’s 2x digital crop factor, that gives me easy-to-carry, image-stabilized coverage from 24mm all the way up to 600mm.

The camera body isn’t actually smaller than the competition. It’s the lenses that really save space and weight. Since the Four Thirds sensor is smaller than an APS-C sensor (the Nikon DX bodies as well as the Canon Digital Rebel and EOS 40D/50D use APS-C sensors), the Oympus Zuiko Digital lenses are also smaller. The smaller sensor also means there’s a bigger 2x digital crop factor. The 12-60mm is comparable to a 24-120mm lens on a 35mm film or full frame camera. And the 70-300 has the same angle-of-view as a 140-600mm lens. The 70-300mm lens is one of my favorite things about the E-520 and the Olympus E-System. It’s smaller than my Canon 28-135mm IS lens and at 600mm on the long end, it has way more reach. (The Canon 28-135mm IS lens is equivalent to a 45-216mm lens with the 1.6x digital crop factor of the XTi/400D or EOS 40D) It also has excellent image quality - especially considering its compact size and reasonable $400 price tag.

Besides the compact size of the system, I also really like the E-520’s built-in image stabilization. Olympus applies image stabilization by moving the sensor instead of optical elements in the lens. So no matter what lens you’re using you benefit from image stabilization. A Canon or Nikon image stabilized lens with the reach of the Olympus 70-300mm would be huge.

The E-520’s auto focus is pretty good, although not as good as the Olympus E-3 or Nikon and Canon DSLRs. It only has three focus points, which is sparse compared to other cameras in its class. I pretty much only use the center point, anyway. But people who like to use off-center focus points will wish there were more than three and that they weren’t just in a horizontal line across the middle. I like cameras that have a minimum of five focus points, in a diamond pattern. However, the two side focus points are positioned perfectly for the compositional Rule-Of-Thirds. Canon’s consumer DSLRs have more focus points but the side points aren’t positioned as well as those on the E-520.

Pre-focusing works great with the E-520. It’s quick and accurate and works well even in low light. But continuous focus performance isn’t nearly as good and doesn’t measure up to what I’m used to with other cameras. Occasionally focus would lock up on me when the camera was in continuous AF mode. The lock-up isn’t just an E-520 issue as I experienced the same problem when shooting action with the E-3. Sometimes when I shift from a close subject to a distant one the auto focus system gets lost and can’t focus on anything. To fix it, you have to either manually focus or reframe so that the AF system has something contrasty to focus on. I definitely missed action photos when the auto focus system choked like this and I quickly decided that it was best to just pre-focus with the E-520.

I’ll go into it more in the next part of the review, but there is an image quality compromise if you compare the E-520 to the competition. But it’s a trade I happily make in return for the smaller, lighter, more packable digital SLR. For most purposes and in most conditions the E-520 delivers the quality I need and then some. It’s only in the most difficult lighting that the E-520 image quality really becomes a problem.

Image Quality

Olympus has done a notable job of improving the image quality of the E-520, compared to the E-510. I loved the size of the E-510 but the image quality just wasn’t up to par and occasionally I regretted using it instead of one of my other cameras. The E-520, on the other hand, has rarely let me down in the image quality department. Color is excellent right out of the camera - something I’ve come to expect from Olympus digital SLRs. The smaller Four Thirds sensor does produce more noise than 10-megapixel Canon and Nikon DSLRs. But that doesn’t make it a bad camera. Depending on the subject and the exposure, I think the E-520 is very usable up to ISO 400. The photo of the west side of the Tetons was shot handheld with the Olympus Zuiko 70-300 ED at ISO 400. It’s been pushed pretty hard in post-processing and noise is visible. But I don’t think the noise spoils the photo.

Higher sensitivity settings are also usable in the right circumstances and with adjusted expectations. Above ISO 400, visible noise should be expected. But with a good subject and good exposure, I don’t consider the noise a problem. For landscapes and wedding photos you won’t want to be shooting at ISO 1600. But for an environmental portrait like the one below, I think ISO 1600 works just fine. Olympus digital SLRs get a bad rap because people believe the Four Thirds sensor means poor image quality. This is not the case. The smaller sensor does produce more noise than cameras with larger sensors. But contrary to what the pixel-peepers will try to tell you, more noise doesn’t make it a bad camera. Take a look at the high ISO E-520 images in the gallery and judge them on their own merits, without looking at them through a magnifying glass.

One of the things I like the most about shooting with the E-520 and other Olympus DSLRs is the excellent quality of the Zuiko Digital lenses. Even the least expensive Zuiko Digital lenses are very good and I don’t know that Olympus makes a bad lens. Certainly, there is a difference between the high-end lenses and the 14-42mm kit lens that comes with the E-520. But I don’t have the apprehension with an Olympus kit lens that I might with other camera makers. Olympus makes a big deal about the fact that all of their lenses are designed to be 100% digital. And after shooting with a fair number of them, I think they have a right to brag.

Click on thumbnails to view sample photos.

Note: I shoot almost exclusively RAW and shoot with post-processing in mind. I like to squeeze as much as possible from my image files. RAW conversions and initial adjustments are usually done with Adobe Photoshop Lightroom and then final post-processing is done using Photoshop adjustment layers.

Worst 5 Camera Buying Mistakes What Not to Do When Shopping for a Digital Camera

From Michael Carr, for About.com

Filed In:

1. Camera Buying Advice

You may know what megapixels and zoom lenses are, but do you know what not to do when shopping for a digital camera? Here are the worst digital camera shopping mistakes.

1. Buying a Digital Camera Without Using it First

This is probably a fairly common mistake, but easily the worst. It's so easy to get caught up in reviews and specs and features and comparisons, and forget one essential fact. You need to like the camera. That means, even if you buy the camera online, you should first hit a local camera store and handle the camera. You want to be sure it's a powered, fully functional model (and it's the exact same model that interests you , not a "similar" one). Also don't be afraid to asks a salesperson to take it off the tethers if that interferes with your ability to handle it. Pretend you're taking pictures. See how it feels in your hand. Try to do specific tasks, and see how hard the camera controls are to navigate.

2. Buying the Most Expensive Digital Camera You Can Afford

It can be tempting to get the coolest, slickest, most high-end camera you can afford. That doesn't mean you should. For example, if you're new to photography you won't want an advanced digital SLR with lots of manual controls. If you're just looking to take pictures for your blog, you don't need 12 megapixels. There is no need to pay for features you won't use and, in fact, it will make using the camera more confusing and less pleasant. It's better to look within your budget, but focus on finding the best camera for your specific needs.

3. Focusing Only on Digital Camera Megapixels

Megapixels are often the first thing people wonder about when considering a digital camera. Sure, you shouldn't ignore megapixels. It certainly shouldn't be your only consideration, and may not even be your primary consideration. In fact, if you have an older computer or you don't care to buy high-capacity memory cards, you will not want a 12 megapixel camera that will eat up storage space. Think beyond megapixels, because another feature (such as zoom) could be much more important for you.

4. Being Wooed by Junk Digital Camera Zoom Numbers

If you need zoom, don't get fooled by inflated numbers based on digital zoom. Digital zoom is essentially useless. A salesman might give it a nice spin by saying something like, "You get a total zoom of 10x!" How much of that is optical? If it's just 3x optical, that is pretty much the standard zoom on digital cameras and nothing to get excited about. You always want to ask about the optical zoom rate. If you are used to film cameras, you should also ask about the 35mm equivalent so that you understand just what 5x optical zoom really means.

Optical Zoom vs. Digital Zoom

5. Not Knowing What You Want in a Digital Camera

There are an awful lot of digital camera features available, but you won't find many cameras that do everything well. It is better to understand the available features, and decide which features are the most important for you. Consider making a list of your three most important features, then rank them. That way, you can work on finding a camera that meets those needs first, and worry about extra features if they so happen to come in the camera you like.

Nikon Poised to Announce Rumored D3x

Nikon seems poised to announce its new high-end D3x digital SLR, featuring an ultra-high definition 24.5 megapixels (compared with the 12.1 megapixel sensor in the current D3). Pixel stats alone don't guarantee great pictures, but the D3x is said to have a custom processing system that will render very high levels of detail and tonal gradation. The D3x will have many features in common with the D3, including Live View viewscreen shooting, 51-point autofocus, and Expeed 16-bit processing. The D3x will be able to record its 24.5 MP files at up to five frames per second. Thanks to the people at Nikon Rumors for the most substantive information and images of this rumored December release.

Review: Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-W170 Point-and-Shoot Camera

For a slightly pricey $250, Sony's Cyber-shot DSC-W170 offers a 10-megapixel sensor and a pleasing wide-angle Carl Zeiss lens with 5X optical zoom, not to mention a number of fun features, in a sturdy, industrial-looking form. However, this Cyber-shot's shortcomings - the soft image quality, in particular - somewhat mitigate the positives it brings to the table. The combination of its price and its image quality placed it just outside our latest Top 10 Point-and-Shoot Cameras chart. While the front of the camera is simple and shiny, dominated by the large Carl Zeiss lens, the back is a bit cluttered with buttons and dials. The clearly labeled function dial helps matters, though. Read on for the full review of the Cyber-shot DSC-W170. Photo © Sony

Photography Secrets from One of the World's Top Shooters

Excerpted from The Moment It Clicks by Joe McNally. Copyright 2008. Used with permission of Pearson Education, Inc., and New Riders

Wing It
Sometimes, you just gotta wing it. Got a job to shoot a photo portfolio of the overlarge freshmen NCAA hoopsters for Sports Illustrated. Started conjuring. One kid, Brandan Wright, had a wingspan of 7'4'. Okay, Batman comes to mind. Magazine liked the wings idea, but wanted them white. Cool...just switched screens in my head to X-Men 3.

Now try finding wings for somebody six-eleven with arms that don't stop. It ain't easy. My studio manager Lynn, who is a magical producer, started making phone calls and after a lot of dry wells, finally found the wing makers to the film and television industry, a small outfit in L.A. (where else?) called...Mother Plucker! I kid you not.

Money is a huge concern in any production, and these wings cost $3,400, last minute drop shipped straight to North Carolina. Steve Fine, DOP* at SI, called. "Can't you go to a Halloween shop?" he asked. I reminded him of the size of our subject. Got the go ahead.

(Steve Fine and Jimmy Colton are currently the best one-two punch in picture editing, by the way. Steve has the calculus of sports in his head. He knows that if LSU beats Auburn this Saturday, he has to move three photogs on January 3rd to New Orleans for the Sugar Bowl 'cause LSU will go up against Florida State.

He doesn't even have to look at a schedule. Jimmy has always been a voice of reason and counsel to young photographers, an open door, and a shelter from the storm. Together, they are formidable and fight the good fight.)

So we got the wings at 11:30 in the morning for a 1:00 p.m. photo shoot. I was being allowed 30 precious minutes of this very important 18-year-old's life, no more. I had exactly an hour and a half to figure out how to hang these wings, stage and light the photo, and come up with at least two different solutions.

How to Get This Type of Shot

Okay. Usual deal. Speed lighting. Overhead softbox for him, small spot for background. Now the wings. Clamped 'em to the boom arm of a C-stand and sand bagged the heck out of it. Then put three strobe heads with magic arms on the same stand, all with honeycomb spot grids**. The whole rig looked like a science project gone bad.

Fanned the heads out desperately trying to get an even spread for backlight on the wings. They gotta look heavenly, right? So backlight's the deal. Got it close enough to work just as Brandan came around the corner. Retouching took it the rest of the way.

Like much location work, this one was truly a wing and a prayer.

Ring Light
The ring light*** needs to be used...carefully. It has gotten a bit of a bad rap, probably from overuse in those downtown magazines with catchy names that usually last for about two issues and run page after page of disaffected, outlandishly dressed young people, apparently high on some form of illegal substance, staring vacantly at the camera with a circular highlight in their overlarge pupils.

It's too bad, because when used properly and judiciously, it is a pretty snappy light that edges out your subject with the clean and definitive efficiency of a drill press. Throw in a bit of hair, makeup, styling, a fishnet cat suit, a killer look, and oh my! Have to be careful tipping it around too much though, 'cause at an unfortunate angle it produces shadows that can turn even a shimmering sex goddess into something that dropped out of the ugly tree.

Bring a Chainsaw
I was sent to the Southwest to photograph a Tyrannosaurus head for the cover of Discover.

Now this T. rex head turned out to be a realistic-looking, eight-foot hunk of polyurethane that was in the sculptor's garage, gathering dust. This is a typical assignment for me. Go make a national magazine cover out of a grime-laden piece of plastic.

We cleaned it, loaded it into a pickup, and trucked it out into the desert area, which was actually part of a national park. I rented a heavy-duty crank lift and a chainsaw, and got some rope and lumber. I'm an overgrown adolescent who saw Jurassic Park too many times and I wanted this puppy coming out of the trees, just like on the big screen. We found a tree, made sure no park rangers were around, chainsawed the $#!& out of it, and stuffed the lift in there. Then we took some of the branches and A-clamped them to light stands, lit the whole thing up Hollywood-style (shot at dusk), and got outta Dodge.

Tech Note: It was my first shoot with the Nikon D2X. Nikon had squirreled me away an early prototype. I'd been shooting with the D2H, and with my first few frames from the D2X, I saw the colors pop and knew, digitally speaking, we weren't in Kansas anymore.

How to Get This Type of Shot

A shot like this depends on really defined, colorful splashes of light. When using gels to create these colors, it is best to use honeycomb spot grids. This shot was "spot grid city." Big, broad sources of light don't work with gels, because the different colors overlap and bleed into each other. One spot with a green gel was just out of frame by his eye. There's a light with a tight grid and a red gel in the tree lighting his neck. There's a Nikon hot shoe flash inside his mouth—in the lower jaw—giving some detail to his tongue, and there's another spot grid to the left of the camera lighting his nose and upper row of teeth. This shot was taken with a 12–24mm wide-angle zoom.

Get There Early
I get there early. What can I say? I was raised Irish Catholic, so I feel guilty about stuff I'm not even responsible for. If I'm not in the parking lot two to three hours ahead of my appointment or assignment, I feel guilty. If I'm ever outright late, I feel like I gotta recite a frikkin' Novena.

This has benefits as an assignment shooter. You get the best parking spots at events, for instance. The security guys can't believe you just showed up at 6:00 a.m. for an event that evening, but no matter. So many people think I'm odd, I've given up worrying about it.

Even for local jobs, it's good to get there early. In New York, I was assigned to shoot a bunch of actors doing public readings in an effort to save some of the older, historic Broadway theaters. It was cool. Some very famous theater people gathered and gave stirring public readings to save the old playhouses.

Didn't work, of course. Money was at stake, and when that goes down, even having Lauren Bacall on your side don't matter. The furry creative types are swell, but it was like sending shovel-toting peasants up against the Vikings.

The theaters went down, but the readings were great to shoot. It was like having a play for free right there in the street. I got there way early and ducked into a coffee shop, eternal refuge and impromptu office of the freelancer. Turned around, and there was Jason Robards rehearsing his lines.

You have to choose your strategies here. Years ago, I was assigned to cover the circus-like trial of Sid Vicious in New York City, which basically meant hanging around the courthouse all day to no photographic avail whatsoever. I mean, there were no pictures except for some of Sid's punk friends who were hanging around as a show of support for their crackpot, unwashed, misogynist leader in spirit and kind. So I followed a group of these into the greasy spoon of the courthouse cafeteria, sat at the counter across from them, and ordered coffee. After a moment or two, I quietly snapped a frame with my Leica. This produced a baleful glare. Another snap.

Another glare. Another snap, and this time a snarl: "If you fookin' take another photo of me, I'll fookin' kill ya!" At this point, I'm in for a penny, in for a pound, and I reach down to my camera bag and pull out a motor-driven F2 with a Vivitar and start pounding flash pictures. He came right over the counter at me.

There are, perhaps, better ways to break the ice. Like walk right up to your subject and ask.

Mr. Robards couldn't have been more gracious, or more wonderfully oblivious to being photographed.

Stuff like this happens in New York when you're there early.

* DOP is Director of Photography. He's the guy that controls my air supply -- he assigns the story, has control over the overall direction of photography, and is the main tap. Everything flows from him.

** Honeycomb Spot Grid: A circular metal grid (that looks like a honeycomb) that goes over your strobe head and limits the spread of the light.

*** Ring Light: A circular light source that wraps around the barrel of the lens. Produces a hard, shadowless light. Very popular with fashion photogs.

Canon PowerShot G10 Review, Don Wan, November 2008

Review based on a production Canon PowerShot G10, Firmware version 1.00

The G10 is the third incarnation of Canon’s flagship ‘prosumer’ compact since the G series was reinvented with the G7 in 2006. Announced two years after the G6, the G7 caused quite a buzz; partly because everyone had presumed the budget SLR had killed off this sector of the market, partly because it lacked several of what had become G series trademarks (fast lens, tilting screen, raw mode, secondary LCD panel), and it would be fair to say the response was ‘mixed’. The G9 went some way towards placating the critics, reintroducing raw mode and improving handling, but it still suffered from the fundamental problem that the sensor inside couldn’t deliver on what the fantastic camera promised on the outside.

When we reviewed the G9 last year, we praised it for the styling, handling and build and for its excellent output at low ISO settings. The G10 builds on this by adding handling and control refinements, improving the LCD resolution, and, most importantly, adding a wider lens starting at 28mm (equiv.). It also retains the rangefinder styling and solid build quality, and reduces the amount of silver accents on the camera. All the external controls have been carried over, and a new one has been added (a very useful exposure compensation dial).

The things we criticized the G9 for (the unneeded increase in resolution, and the slow-ish lens) have not been addressed. Instead Canon has increased the resolution for the sensor even more, to 14.7 megapixels. The updated lens, though wider at the wide end, is also shorter at the long end, and has less zoom range overall. The speed of the lens is again almost the same F2.8-4.5, though the wider lens does retain the G9’s relatively compact dimensions. The price remains at around $500.

Note that some sections of this review (feature descriptions where nothing has changed) are reproduced from the G9 review.

Headline features

• 14.7 Megapixel CCD sensor
• 5x wide-angle (28mm) optical zoom lens with optical Image Stabilizer
• RAW image recording plus support for Canon Digital Photo Professional
• DIGIC 4 for clear, sharp images, high-speed AF (including Servo AF) and fast response times
• Targets all the main causes of blur with High ISO Auto, optical
  Image Stabilizer, Motion Detection Technology and Auto ISO shift
• Improved Face Detection AF/AE/FE/WB plus Face Select & Track and FaceSelf-Timer
• 3.0” PureColor LCD II (461k dots resolution) with wide viewing angle and optical viewfinder
• i-Contrast boosts brightness and retains detail in dark areas
• Dedicated Exposure Compensation and ISO dials
• 26 shooting modes with manual control and custom settings
• Accessories include tele-converter, Speedlights flashes and waterproof case
• Smooth, 30fps VGA movies

Powershot G10 vs G9: What's changed?

The G10 continues the G series tradition of incremental upgrades. Here are the key changes:

• Higher resolution (14.7MP vs 12MP)
• New wider coverage Lens (starts at 28mm)
• Redesigned front grip with textured cover
• Improved Face Detection technology
• DIGIC 4 for improved image processing
• New higher capacity battery (1050 mAh up from 720mAh)
• Improved LCD screen resolution (461K vs 230K)
• Exposure compensation dial
• New flat and tilted buttons

Canon G10 specifications

Street price	• US: $456 • UK: £370
Sensor	• 1/1.7" Type CCD • 14.7 million effective pixels
Image sizes	• 4416x 3312 pixels • 3648 x 2736 pixels • 3072 x 2304 pixels • 2560 x 1920 pixels • 2048 x 1536 pixels • 1600 x 1200 pixels • 640 x 480 pixels • 4416x 2480 pixels
Movie clips	• 640 x 480 @ 30fps • 320 x 240 @ 30fps • 160 x 120 @ 15fps
Maximum clip length	• 640 x 480, 320 x 240: 4GB or 1 hour • 160 x 120: 3 mins
File formats	• JPEG (Exif v2.2) • RAW • AVI (Motion JPEG + WAVE)
Lens	• 28-140mm (equiv.) • 5x optical zoom • F2.8-4.5
Image stabilization	Yes (Lens-Shift)
Conversion lenses	Yes
Digital zoom	up to 4x
Focus	TTL
AF area modes	• Face Detection AiAF • 1-point AF (center or Face Select and Track)
AF lock	Yes (on/off selectable)
AF assist lamp	Yes
Focus distance	Closest focus distance 1 cm
Metering	• Evaluative (linked to Face Detection AF frame) • Center-weighted average • Spot (center or linked to Face Detection)
ISO sensitivity	• Auto • High ISO Auto • ISO 80 • ISO 100 • ISO 200 • ISO 400 • ISO 800 • ISO 1600
AE lock	Yes (on/off selectable)
Exposure compensation	+/- 2EV in 1/3 stop increments
Shutter speed	15-1/4000 sec
Modes	• Auto • Program AE • Shutter Priority AE • Aperture Priority AE • Manual • Custom (2 modes) • Special Scene • Stitch Assist • Movie
Scene modes	• Portrait • Landscape • Night Snapshot • Kids & Pets • Night Scene • Indoor • Foliage • Snow • Beach • Fireworks • Aquarium • Indoor
White balance	• Auto • Daylight • Cloudy • Tungsten • Fluorescent • Fluorescent H • Custom
Self timer	• 2 or 10sec, • Custom or FaceSelf Timer
Continuous shooting	• Approx 0.7fps until card is full
Image parameters	My Colors (My Colors Off, Vivid, Neutral, Sepia, Black & White, Custom Color)
Flash	• Auto, Flash On, Flash Off, Slow Sync, Red-eye reduction • +/- 2EV in 1/3 stop increments • Face Detection FE compensation • Safety FE • Flash exposure lock • Manual Power Adjustment • Range (Auto ISO):30cm - 4.6m (wide) / 2.8m (tele)
Viewfinder	Optical Viewfinder
LCD monitor	• 3.0" TFT • 461,000 pixels • 100% coverage • Adjustable
Connectivity	• USB 2.0 Hi-Speed • AV out (PAL / NTSC switchable)
Print compliance	PictBridge
Storage	• SD, SDHC, MMC, MMCplus , HC MMCplus compatible
Power	Rechargeable Li-ion Battery NB-7L
Weight (no batty)	350 g
Dimensions	109 x 78 x 46 mm

* Supplied accessories may differ in each country or area

If you're new to digital photography you may wish to read the Digital Photography Glossary before diving into this article (it may help you understand some of the terms used).

Innovative Portrait Photographers

Ever since photography was invented, there have been famous names associated with it. Ansel Adams, Alfred Eisenstaedt, Dorothea Lang are just a few of those who have changed how we look at the world and at photography. What about famous photographers today, those who are currently changing the way the world looks at photography, especially at portrait photography.

One of the all time great portrait photographers was Don Blair. He was known as a master in the field of portrait photography where he used lighting and composition to create timeless images. His interest in photography came when he was in sixth grade, when he went to work for a photography studio carrying equipment and helping in the lab. He learned all he could from the owner of the studio and eventually took it over and named it Don Blair Photo Studio. He was an advocate of continued learning and growth. He was known for his kindness to amateur and professional alike, and was willing to share what he knew with everyone, if they had the desire to learn. He was a mentor to many contemporary photographers.

One couple that he mentored is Joseph and Louise Simone out of Quebec, Canada. They learned the skills of seeing light and paying attention to composition and use this to not just take pictures, but create art with their photography. They met while working at Don Blair's photo studio in the 70's. The experience they had at his studio and the things they learned set them on their photographic path and they are still creating beautiful photography today. They are unique in their photography in that Louise "paints" their portraits after they have been photographed. She uses both Corel Painter and Photoshop tools to do her painting digitally, creating timeless, lasting portraiture.

Anne Geddes is another photographer who has chosen a different subject and path for her art, with a very successful outcome. It wasn't until age 25 that she really started into photography. She had always loved looking at images and when she finally started capturing them, the results were spectacular. She specializes in infant and childhood photography and keeps the prints simple and clean. She often times uses props or adds in props digitally after the shoot. Her style is innovative in that she is the first to pose infants in such simplistic, unique poses. As a mother herself she knows and understands children and her photography reflects this. Each of Anne Geddes photos capture more than just a stunning image, it is difficult to look at Anne Geddes photos and not feel an emotional connection to the image.

Capturing portrait photographs of individuals is more than just capturing an image, it is about capturing facets of the subject's character and those subtleties that make them a unique individual. Great portrait photographs speak volumes about the person. Great portrait photographers capture not just the likeness of the individual, but also preserves the person's personality.

Portrait photographs are cherished because they capture and preserve an individual at a specific point in their life.

About the Author:

Francesca Black enjoys photography as a hobby and manages content at Future Photo http://www.future-photo.com and Digital Photo Tips http://www.digital-photo-tips.com/

Traveling With Your Camera

When you are traveling the world, having a camera handy is very important. People who are very busy don't have much time to practice photography so during a vacation or holiday is a great time to get that old camera out and take some pictures.

Traveling brings together the best aspects of photography and people take some of their best pictures in the unfamiliar territory of another city, state, country, or even continent. This is because they are surrounded by people of all sorts of different cultures, not just the locals, but other tourists as well. There is also the transport aspect of travel, this can involve very picturesque things such as planes, boats, cars, bicycles and even rickshaws.

An important part of travel photography is being prepared, I cannot stress how important it is to have your camera with you at all times. You will also need to be ready to get your camera out and snap the moment when it arises. People who are overseas are often out of their comfort zones and can express a lot of emotion, which can be amazing if captured well.

Culture is a great thing, it is what identifies people and what some feel very strongly about. Pictures that reflect culture can be very interesting. This is because traditions and ways of life that are foreign to you can shock you and have a major impact. These include poverty, religion, tradition, music, art and more.

How to get these shots

Like stated before having your camera is a good start. Look for things that are unusual or pleasing to the eye. When on a guided tour or safari, try to go off the beaten track and get pictures of things that everyone else misses. It is also a good idea to avoid postcard shots, which are over-photographed scenes, usually landscapes. However, a "postcard shot" shown in a different way or new light can be a great way to convey a message through the medium of photography.

Traveling with your camera is imperative and can produce some of the best pictures you will ever take.

About the Author:

Visit Giles Thompson at http://photographertips.net

The Importance of Lighting

Lighting

is one of the most important parts of photography, after all, it is what makes up a photograph. A real photographer will always take light into account. Making sure there is plenty on a subject and enough to expose a film well.

Having a well lit subject is what most photographers aim for, this can be achieved by using several different light sources. Some ways of doing this are:

Reflectors

A reflective surface used to reflect light onto the darker side of a subject. Reflectors are simple and cheap to make. Just use tin foil and wrap it around some cardboard of something. When taking macro or studio pictures, having reflectors can turn a god picture into a great picture. The idea is to use them with a light source such as the sun or a studio light and reflect light that is going past a subject back up onto it.

Flash

A direct flash can make your subject too light and give it a 2D effect which makes it stand out from the background and seem flat. However, this is not the only way to use a flash. You can turn your flash and bounce it off a wall or surface. This side on flash can be a very desirable effect that can bring out subtle shapes such as the lines on someone's face.

Lamp or Light

Even just a regular lamp is a great tool when shooting somewhere dark, it can flood your subject with the light you desperately need. A soft bulb will probably be better. Another option is to use two lamps or a reflector to give your subject better overall lighting.

The Sun

When it comes to the sun you just have to work with what you have. Try to get a subject well lit, but not in the direct sunlight. On a very sunny day, having your subject in the shade should be fine. On a day when the sun is less bright it may be alright to have your subject in direct sunlight. Overcast or cloudy days are great for photography because everything is evenly lit.

About the Author:

Visit Giles Thompson at http://photographertips.net

Black & White Photography

Photography is a diversified field of creating a spectral variety of art. It is a specialization that deals with different experimentations with colors, however it is also a fact that only shades of black and white can also do wonders in this zone of creative art. With the advent of the digital camera the scope of this wonderful business has opened up new horizons for the users and photographers who seek to explore new lands and trod the ground of innovative creation and thus it can be aptly said that black & white can become more creativity with the boon of digital photography and digital camera. This discussion is primarily aimed at exploring the incipient information regarding the blessing of the digital camera in black & white photography so that the novice as well as the expert photographers can become richer in knowledge!

The exploration can be further extended in defining that a lot of modern digital cameras contain a series of mono modes in the advanced menu settings. These can be used to become more creative with digital photography and in the areas of black and white too. For example some of the modes are as follows: Black & White that takes black and white photographs encompassing of a spectral range of gray tones. This gives the black and white photographs a serious and ethereal look with the richness and grandeur of the past, present and future captures in just two tinges! Another mode is Sepia that again takes pictures in varying tinges brown tones. Looking into a matter a bit more technically, it can be stated that as the digital camera is switched into any of these modes then the color LCD becomes grayscale. The technology proceeds as in the process the pictures are taken the color signals get recorded by the CCD, but the image is later de saturated when processed to remove all color.

A lot of interesting points exist in the area of black and white photography using the digital cameras. For example shooting in black & white becomes more interesting with the use of filters. Experimentations can be done by the enthusiastic photographers as to how a particular color would appear in black & white. This can be demonstrated by the fact that perhaps a red filter placed over the lens lightens any red color in the picture making them appear as lighter shades of gray in comparison to other colors like blue green. This process can be very challenging and in the same time very interesting! It is true that digital black and white photography can be used often for the purpose of portraiture and taking pictures of landscapes and can also become very effective in abstract shoots offering a graphical view of the subject to be photographed. The ultimate truth is that the black and white digital photography can make the world look complete different from what it is through the human eyes.

The graphics software from Adobe - Photoshop - with its more advanced options a person can edit each of the colors in the image to lighten or darken and provide the effect of brightness in varying intensity too. Becoming an expert in this can make a person versatile in techniques of adjusting the tonal range of a black & white image. This is the liberty that the digital camera provides in the field of black and white photography. Thus the users can make much more efficient and richer quality photographs.

The above lines of this discussion has explored the incipient ground of interest and information of black and white photography using the digital camera, however it has to be noted here that to get the real taste of the honey the users or photographers must not waste time and take up their digital cameras and get going into the cool new and most beautiful world of digital black and white photography! It is out there for everyone.

Digital camera auto exposure and auto focus

The digital camera being a fantastic and technologically advanced device contains many different applications of its own. Many users of this fabulous device are unaware of quite a few of these functions which can actually do wonders. And it is the duty and right of every person possessing the digital camera to intervene into the depths of knowledge to understand their prized possession and their varying qualities in order to foster the true respect that this device deserves. This article deals with providing information regarding one those qualities - Auto focus and auto exposure!

Exploring the information in slight more details it can be stated that auto exposure cameras are provided with a fixed focus lens or manual focus lens. These cameras are the simplest to set exposure. To obtain the correct exposure for a particular subject of photography, the only thing that needs to be done is to simply lock the exposure by pressing the shutter down halfway on the digital cameras upon a reference object that is about one fifth gray and also illuminated by the aid of the same source of light as subject of photography. After locking the exposure, the photographer has to recompose the frame and shoot the picture. Auto exposure and auto focus cameras are to some degree harder for setting the exposure, because they contain the exposure lock that is generally tied to focus-lock. However, the users or photographers using these auto exposure and auto focus cameras can still make adjustments for the correct exposure and correct focus using the digital cameras and make the photographs perfect! Again, the exposure can be adjusted by locking on an 18% reference that is illuminated by the aid of the same source of light as subject of photography. The users have to only ensure that the distance to this so-called reference is the same as the distance to the subject of photography that actually sets the focus.

Now discussing the auto focus and auto exposure lock (AE/AF) a bit more in detail. The shutter release button on a digital camera has more function than just snap a cool picture. The users have to grab a technique where he or she has to depress this shutter release button half way down thereby locking both the auto exposure and auto focus. This enables the users or photographers to have more control on exposure in difficult lighting situations while using the digital camera. Moreover, this entire process also helps him or her to determine where the camera focuses. Like if the photographer intends to set the exposure before composing the final shot of the photograph then he or she can move the digital camera slightly so that only the subject to be photographed is visible prominently in the auto focus frame in the viewfinder. As a next step he or she can depress the shutter-release button down half way to set focus and exposure and then recompose the picture and finally completely depress the button in order to capture and freeze the moment of time! It is to be noted here that the auto focus and auto exposure lock (AE/AF) is available in all photography modes of the digital cameras that are nowadays available for the general people.

Not much remains to be discussed about this particular topic of auto focus/auto exposure and a brief discussion as above is enough to reveal a bounty of information regarding this fantastic feature of the digital cameras. At the end of this discussion it can be expected that both the novice and expert photographers and user of the digital camera would benefit from whatever has been revealed and the effort to bring out the human mind from the dark oblivion about auto focus and auto exposure lock would be a success in the magic light of the digital camera!

Jakob Jelling is the founder of http://www.snapjunky.com. Visit his digital camera guide and learn how to take better pictures with your digicam.

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