User manual ACDSEE YOUR ACD GUIDE TO DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY

Your ACD Guide to Digital Photography Take better photos and enhance your digital photography experience. Table of Contents Table of Contents Forward Introduction: The Benefits of Digital Photography Part I. Camera and Technology Tips Tip 1 - Getting the Right Digital Camera Tip 2 - Digital vs. Film (Analog) Resolution Tip 3 - Optical vs. Interpolated Resolution Tip 4 - Reducing Shutter Lag Tip 5 - Speed Up Click-to-Click Processing Tip 6 - LCD Viewfinder Pointers Tip 7 - Improve Your Photos Using Metadata Tip 8 - Your Next Digital Camera: Night Sky Photos As Litmus Test Tip 9 - Memory Card Care and Corruption Tip 10 - Your Next Digital Camera: Is It Time for a CMOS Image Sensor? Tip 11 - Optical vs. Digital Zoom Tip 12 - Digital Focal Lengths Tip 13 - Using Digital Zoom Tip 14 - ISO Settings Tip 15 - Bulb and Time Settings Tip 16 - Demystifying Large Memory Cards Tip 17 - Scanners: Resolution and Bit Depth Tip 18 - Scanner Cleaning Tip 19 - Fast Photo Scanning Tip 20 - Batteries in Winter Tip 21 - LCD Display and Saving Batteries Tip 22 - Batteries Tip 23 - Converting Negatives and Prints to Digital:Good Reasons and Ideas Tip 24 - Alternative Image Formats Tip 25 - Bit Depth Tip 26 - What Is Metadata?/Why Is It Helpful? Tip 27 - GIF vs. JPG Tip 28 - Hints on Web Sharing Your Digital Photos Successfully Tip 29 - Resolution: DPI, Pixels and Printing Tip 30 - Photo Printing Paper: Choosing the Best Tip 31 - Resolution for Digital Prints Tip 32 - Upsampling Images for Print 1 www.ACDSYSTEMS.com Table of Contents Part 2. Photography Tips Tip 1 - Flash Photos Done Right Tip 2 - Translucent Impressions Tip 3 - Black and White Photography: Good Times to Use It Tip 4 - Using EV Compensation for Effect Tip 5 - Portraits in Three Layers Tip 6 - Fantastic Urban Foregrounds Tip 7 - Impressive Winter Landscape Photos Tip 8 - Special Low-Light Effects: Bulb and Time Mode Tip 9 - Night Photography Ideas Tip 10 - Phantasmic Fog Photos Tip 11 - Phenomenal Fall Photos Tip 12 - Landscapes and Scale Tip 13 - Mastering Indoor Flash Exposure Tip 14 - Group Photos Made Easy Tip 15 - Rare Rainy Day Photos Tip 16 - Controlling Color in Indoor Photos Tip 17 - Sharp Action Photos Tip 18 - Landmarking Landscape Photos Tip 19 - Better Digital Photo Color Tip 20 - Portrait Photos that Impress Tip 21 - Flash and Action (Flash Freeze) Tip 22 - Using Depth of Field Tip 23 - Low Light Campfire Photos Tip 24 - Light and Color Richness Tip 25 - Chasing Lightning Tip 26 - Fabulous Flowers Tip 27 - Macro Photos & Framing Tip 28 - Sunset Techniques Tip 29 - Detail & Mystery at Dusk Tip 30 - Moon Shot Hints Tip 31 - Mountain Prospects Tip 32 - Sunny Day Techniques Tip 33 - Fantastic Waterfall Shots Tip 34 - Beating Background Noise Tip 35 - Action Panning Techniques Tip 36 - Shutter Priority Tip 37 - Using Lens Perspective Tip 38 - Take some photos for me? Please? Tip 39 - Falling Light & Texture Tip 40 - Tough Focusing Tip 41 - Light and Contrast Tip 42 - Black and White Photography Hints Tip 43 - Lighting Scenarios and Effects Tip 44 - Pre-Focus and Moving Subjects Tip 45 - Pre-Focus and the Rule of Thirds Tip 46 - Alternative Landscapes: 5 Ideas Tip 47 - Window Tableaux From family fun to office knowhow, you'll find lots of useful and time-saving digital photography information right here. www.ACDSYSTEMS.com 2 Table of Contents Ideas to inspire and techniques to take you there. Tip 48 Tip 49 Tip 50 Tip 51 Tip 52 Tip 53 Tip 54 Tip 55 Tip 56 Tip 57 Tip 58 Tip 59 Tip 60 Tip 61 Tip 62 Tip 63 Tip 64 Tip 65 Tip 66 Tip 67 Tip 68 Tip 69 Tip 70 Tip 71 Tip 72 Tip 73 Tip 74 Tip 75 - Fixing Indoor Light with White Balance Watch Those Windows Why Zoom? Four Good Reasons What's Your Angle? Don't Forget Those Legs Festive Photos I: Glittering Lights Holiday Posed Portraits: Steps to Success The Art of Sunstars Aperture: Light and Focus Long Exposures -- The Art of Blur Low Light Experiments Intrepid Hiking Photos Cool Action Seasonal Reflections Bug Portraits Sports Photos ­ The Defining Moment Architecture I: Perspective and Color Architecture II: Night Shots Silhouettes Pet Portrait Tricks Fill Flash and Range Water Photography I ­ At the Beach Water Photography II ­ Reflections Water Photography III ­ Morning Steam Cool Macro Lock and Shoot Festive Photos II ­ Preparing for Group Shots Landscapes in Perspective 3 www.ACDSYSTEMS.com Forward Forward Credits Writer and Editor Kris Butler, ACD Newsletters Editor Whether you are a seasoned digital photography enthusiast or a new digital camera owner, this guide offers you tips and tricks for taking better photos and using your digital camera to its full potential. To receive ongoing articles on digital photography, as well as related software and equipment, you can sign up for ACD E-Mail Newsletters in the ACD Community at: www.acdsystems.com/English/Community/Newsletters/Signup/index To enter any ACD photo contest, simply sign up for a newsletter, check the details on the Enter Contests page in the ACD Community, and send in your photos. Contest details can be found here: www.acdsystems.com/English/Community/Contests/index We hope you'll find this guide useful and fun to read.Thank you for using ACD digital photo software. On behalf of all the staff at ACD Systems, Production Assistant Christopher Corbett Kris Butler ACD Newsletters Editor Contributing Writers Robert Cooper, Charles Edwards, Stephen Canning, and Frederick Kristjanson Graphic Designer Steve Schmidt Copyright ACD Systems 2004. All rights reserved. 4 www.ACDSYSTEMS.com Introduction Introduction: The Benefits of Digital Photography Have you explored all the benefits of digital photography? While film photography still has much to offer, digital photography has become easier and more cost effective than ever.The fact you have a digital camera means you already recognize some of the key advantages. However, the list below includes details and insights you may not have considered yet. No Film Once you have made your investment, you can forget about the continuing cost of film, as well as the concern that the roll will run out at the wrong time. Although memory cards do fill up, they can be changed quicker than film. Plus, if you run out of space, you can always delete a few shots that are not that great and make room for more. A good rule of thumb is to delete only those photos that have clearly not worked out. Why? First off, even the biggest camera LCD screens are small compared to a computer screen, so it can be hard to distinguish important details in photos that are not obviously flawed. Also, the light levels on your LCD screen are not an accurate depiction of the actual light levels in the photo ­ it may look too dark or light, but wait until it's on your computer to be sure.Finally, many "OK"photos can be made to look great with a little help from photo editing software. Instant Previews Share the moment that you just captured right away. By looking at the preview screen on your camera, you immediately know if the shot has generally worked out or not. Is uncle Ted's head partially cut off because he's so tall? Simply try again and delete that shot to save memory card save. (See note.) New Sharing Options When you switch to digital photography, a whole new set of electronic sharing options opens up to you.With the right digital photo software, such as ACDSeeTM , you can choose to send images by e-mail, share them free online using ACD SendPixTM , or if you are computer savvy and have you own website, generate HTML photo albums for quick web posting. Environmental Benefits Without traditional developing, the use and disposal of photographic chemicals is reduced substantially. For more information on ACD SendPixTM free online photo sharing, go to www.sendpix.com. Print Savings When you go digital you can pick and choose the photos you'd like to print. So, while digital prints can be more expensive than traditional prints, you don't pay for prints you don't want. www.ACDSYSTEMS.com 5 Introduction License to Experiment Since you no longer have to worry about paying for shots that don't work out, you can experiment to your heart's content. At-Home Printing Convenience In addition to getting your digital shots printed through traditional labs, there are many home printers that provide brilliant quality.With a fairly modest investment in a high quality inkjet printer, you can literally make prints within minutes of taking a shot. Also, software packages like ACD FotoSlateTM let you print out great album sheets (no cutting) or professional-style portrait sheets, just like the ones you get at the studios. Video Clips Many digital cameras now come with the ability to take short video clips, usually of 1 to 2 minutes in length. If you pick up a larger memory card (a good idea anyway), then you should be able to take several clips on a card.Video clips can be a lot of fun and in many cases if they are compressed well enough, they can even be shared with friends by e-mail. Summary These are just the most prominent benefits of digital photography. As you get into it and become familiar with your camera and software, you'll be constantly surprised by the change in the way you think about photos and in the amount of new and convenient things you can do. 6 www.ACDSYSTEMS.com Introduction Capturing Photos A world of imagination and artistry has opened up to anyone who takes up photography and this world has only grown with the dawn of digital photos.The tips in this guide will lead you into that imaginative world with a practical exploration of many photography ideas and concepts, as well as concrete pointers on how to use your equipment to your best advantage. You will also get sound advice on what to look for if you are thinking of buying a new digital camera. Of course, since digital photography is so new, you will likely already have a large film photo collection and other useful equipment, such as a scanner. Lots of great ideas await you on how to get the most from your entire collection as well as all your equipment. www.ACDSYSTEMS.com 7 Part I. Camera and Technology Tips Tip 1 Getting the Right Digital Camera Thinking of buying a new digital camera? Here are the key areas to consider when making your move from film to digital or when upgrading to your next digital camera. Specific articles that explore each of the areas listed below are also included in this section. Resolution This term refers to the quality and clarity of an image. In the digital world, it is generally measured in pixels. For printing, pixels per inch is the standard measurement (sometimes called "dots per inch,"though the two are not identical in meaning). In the case of cameras, resolution is measured in megapixels. Resolution is the one of the most important aspects of any digital camera purchase. When it comes to deciding on the right level of resolution, the most important question you need to ask yourself is:"Am I going to want to print enlargements and/or crop and edit my photos before printing them at regular size?" If you never print anything other than 4"x 6"pictures, a 2 megapixel camera should serve you just fine. However, if you would like to have the option to enlarge your pictures to 5"x7" 8"x10"or larger, consider a , 3, 4 or 5 megapixel camera.This also holds true if you want the option to perform significant edits on your digital photos, such as cropping and resizing. Basically, bigger is better when it comes to megapixels. Although, when shooting at higher resolutions, you will need more storage capacity as your image file sizes will be significantly larger. Lenses (Optical Zoom) Beware of the term "interpolated resolution."It refers to the camera's software adding pixels to the image after it is captured. Interpolated resolution is useful in some cases, but "effective resolution,"which reflects the actual number of pixels in the camera's image sensor, it the most important for determining maximum print size and editing flexibility. Be sure you're comparing "effective resolution" when shopping for a camera or you may not get what you are really looking for. Most mid-level and higher digital cameras have great zoom lenses. On digital cameras, optical zooms are measured by their magnification factor: 2x, 3x, etc. For comparison purposes, it is often easier to ask what the 35mm equivalent is.This is because the magnification measurements don't specify what size lens it is that's zooming. For instance, a 2x zoom lens could mean a 28mm-56mm zoom, a 35mm-70mm zoom, or a 50mm-100mm zoom (expressed in 35mm equivalents).These lenses would all have different properties, so it is worth asking for 35mm equivalents to be sure you understand what you're getting. 8 www.ACDSYSTEMS.com Part I. Camera and Technology Tips Exposure Modes Will the basic "automatic"mode suit your needs? Do you want shutter priority for sports? Aperture priority for portraits? Spot metering for difficult light? There's a real range of available features in this area, even on cameras of similar prices. Since exposure is the most important aspect of any photograph, you will want to get as many exposure options as you can afford. Here are some key features to look for: · Shutter Priority - Including fastest and longest speeds and whether bulb and time modes are offered · Aperture Priority - Including widest and narrowest · Spot Metering · Exposure Value Compensation · ISO Settings · Black and White Mode · Noise Reduction - This can be a critical feature for anyone considering long exposures and high ISO settings as important · White Balance Be sure to look for the "optical zoom"rating on a camera and not for the "digital zoom" rating, which can be much higher. Digital zoom merely crops away photo information and resizes the image, leaving you with a lower quality end product. Also, to get the most flexible zoom options, it is best to look for at least 4x optical zoom and then ask for 35mm equivalents. Batteries Digital cameras consume batteries quicker than film cameras.This is because film cameras only need to open and close a shutter, advance film and occasionally charge a flash bulb. Digital cameras, on the other hand, must operate an electronic image sensor, LCD viewfinder, and image processor and it is a lot of fun to regularly review photos onscreen after taking them, which requires a lot of power. This means you should give serious thought to the type of batteries a camera requires, whether they are AA's or a battery pack unique to your camera. Some pros and cons to consider include that standard AA batteries are readily available but require you to carry two sets of spares and throw more batteries out. In contrast, camera-specific rechargeable battery packs usually last much longer, and you won't be adding more batteries to a landfill. However, you will need to purchase at least one back up battery and perhaps a more sophisticated charger than comes with the camera. Shutter Lag Unless you are spending a significant amount of money on a digital SLR camera, you will likely notice a brief pause between when you press the shutter release button and when the picture is taken. This pause is known as "shutter lag"and it can vary widely between different digital cameras. If you take sports shots or other action shots, try out a few cameras to make sure you'll be happy with the shutter responsiveness when shooting. www.ACDSYSTEMS.com 9 Part I. Camera and Technology Tips Click-to-Click Processing Another important speed factor is the time it takes your camera to be ready to take another shot.This will vary depending on the photo quality settings you choose, whether you use a flash, and whether that flash is built in or not. Why the difference in processing speeds? There are two main reasons. First, the higher the photo quality, the larger the image file that must be processed by the camera. In entry-level to mid-range cameras, it is rare to have a processor capable of reading and writing the largest image files the camera can generate in less than a few to several seconds.These processors are often up to the task of reading your lowest quality photos quite fast, but not usually the largest ones, especially if the camera is adding interpolated resolution to the file. Second, built-in flashes often take a few to several seconds to recharge, because of the energy required.When you combine this energy requirement with the fact that a lot of energy is also required to process photo information and operate the camera's LCD screen, the delay is not surprising. Often this can be avoided completely by using a good, off-camera flash that has its own energy source.To take advantage of this option, you will need to pick a camera with a flash shoe. Viewfinders When it comes to digital camera viewfinders, you should look at the following: i. Does the camera have TTL (Though the Lens) viewfinding? - TTL viewfinders are best because they are most accurate.With TTL, you get what you see, meaning the camera presents to you what is seen as it will be recorded. ii. What is the size and accuracy of the LCD viewfinder on the back? - Larger LCD viewfinder screens are much easier to use and make it more fun to pass your camera around so photos can be reviewed and shared instantly.That said, they also consume more energy. - On most digital cameras, your final photo will include less than what shows on the LCD viewfinder ­ anywhere from 2 to 15% less around the edges. At the upper limit, you will have to keep this inaccuracy in mind all the time and not crop photos too closely, which may be hard to remember. iii. What is the accuracy of the standard viewfinder? - Some standard viewfinders on entry-level digital cameras can be significantly misaligned, while those on more expensive cameras may still be noticeably off. As with LCD viewfinders, take a few photos in the store with marker objects at the edges of the viewfinder and then compare by reviewing the photos on the 10 www.ACDSYSTEMS.com Part I. Camera and Technology Tips screen to check for accuracy. iv. Is the standard viewfinder optical or a smaller LCD screen? - In many cases you may want to turn off your LCD viewfinder to save battery power.You will get the best power savings if the stan dard viewfinder is optical, rather than another LCD screen. - Also, if you simply prefer to use an optical viewfinder rather than look at an LCD screen that gets blurry when you move the cam era around, check to make sure you will have that option. Image Sensors There are two main types of image sensor, CCD and CMOS.While CMOS is quicker, it is usually associated with lower quality unless included in high-end digital SLR cameras. CMOS is also not widely available yet, so when shopping for entry-level to mid-range cameras, you will likely be comparing CCD's. The most important questions regarding CCD image sensors involve resolution and physical size. In this segment, we will look at physical size. When comparing CCD's, physically bigger is better for two reasons. First, because of the size of the pixels. Larger CCD's have larger pixels and larger pixels mean less noise, due to a better signal to noise ratio. Second, the larger your CCD, the more effective your optical zoom magnification becomes. Magnifying an image on a 1-inch square CCD 4 times is better than magnifying an image 4 times on a ?-inch CCD. Typically, CCD size is measured in the following ratios for entry-level and mid-range digital cameras: · 1/1.5-inch CCD or 0.66 inch area · 1/1.7-inch CCD or 0.58 inch area · 1/1.8-inch CCD or 0.55 inch area · 1/2.5-inch CCD or 0.40 inch area · 1/2.7-inch CCD or 0.37 inch area Memory Cards The card that comes with your camera will be too small...period. Most cameras ship with an 8MB or 16MB card, while a 32MB card is the smallest you would want to have to be able to store a reasonable number of medium resolution images.Take this into consideration when purchasing and keep in mind that you'll want a larger card right away, so you won't have to stay near to your computer to download your photos when your card fills up. File sizes will vary considerably depending on your camera's resolution capabilities and the quality settings you choose. However, in general, using the small memory card shipped with your camera will limit you to taking the about the equivalent of a single roll of 24 to 36 photos at medium quality before you run out of space.The investment in a larger card, preferably a 64MB card or larger is definitely worth it. www.ACDSYSTEMS.com 11 Part I. Camera and Technology Tips Camera Size Digital cameras with very similar features come in a real range of sizes, from ones as small as cigarette packs to ones as big as 35mm SLR (single lens reflex) cameras, which can be as bulky as a shoe box when packed with lenses attached. Compact size usually comes with a higher price tag, so give some thought in this area before making a decision. Definitely consider a smaller camera if you think its size will make it more likely that you will bring it with you on outings. Tip 2 Digital vs.Film (Analog) Resolution What is the most important aspect of any digital camera? Resolution. Which is why the first thing you'll see in advertising for any camera is how much resolution it has measured in megapixels (millions of pixels; pixels is a loose acronym for "picture elements"). Resolution Measurements Resolution is the paramount concern in digital photography because it refers to the quality and clarity of an image. In the digital world resolution is measured in dots per inch (dpi), pixels per inch (ppi), or in the case of cameras, megapixels (mp). So, if resolution measured in megapixels is the most important aspect of any digital camera purchase, how do you know what is good, better and best? Or, at a minimum, what you will need? To gain a fuller understanding of these questions and how to answer them, it makes sense to start at the beginning and examine the differences between digital and film resolution and between digital resolution and what we see with our eyes. Bits vs. Analog Digital files of any type, whether audio, video, graphics or photographs have in common that they are a collection of bits.So, sight and sound information from the real,"analog"world is taken and converted to a "bit"format that can be calculated and displayed or played back by computers. 12 www.ACDSYSTEMS.com Part I. Camera and Technology Tips In the world of photography, the limitation of bits, generated from pixel information, is that they lack subtlety. A bit is square in shape and can only be one color. So, a transition from one color or shade to another must be made up of a series of very small, but nevertheless blocky steps. This is not the case with film (or analog) photography, because the entire image is made from light of different wave lengths as captured within one large rectangle of celluloid film. As such, it can and does have smooth, continuous transitions between colors and shapes. The great thing about digital cameras now ­ as opposed to the early days when only 1mp cameras were available ­ is that the size of the transitional steps between pixels has gotten much smaller as higher megapixel cameras have become more common and affordable. Megapixels, Film and the Human Eye Usually, with 2mp cameras and up, the human eye doesn't notice individual pixels as long as the maximum print size for that level of resolution is not exceeded.The higher the resolution of the digital camera, the smaller and more difficult to notice are the steps between each monotone pixel. However, the cutoff point for pixels not being obviously noticeable to the naked eye seems to be about 300ppi (pixels per inch), while 600ppi seems to be the cutoff for a practiced, expert eye ­ profesional photographers never print anything with less that 600ppi in resolution. It is important to keep in mind that film is not totally perfect and if magnified it will also have flaws caused by the grain of the film; nevertheless, when it comes to printing enlargements, film photos are significantly more flexible. For example, from a good quality negative using good development equipment, you should be able to make a poster size print, which is well beyond the 8x10 enlargement of a 3mp digital camera. So, what is the megapixel equivalent of good film? Most experts agree it is about 20mp. Currently, the highest rated professional DSLR (digital single lens reflex) cameras are only 12mp and 2 to 3mp cameras are still the norm at the entry level. The example here shows digital and analog (film) transitions from black to white. Technically you cannot measure the resolution of digital and film images the same way.This is because analog images aren't made of pixels. However, you can make reasonable comparisons based on expert estimates of the number of pixels it would take to produce the quality and clarity available on film or as seen from human eyes. This article looks at the basics of resolution as a point from which to understand further information. Other articles in this guide, including "DPI, Pixels, and Printing"in Part V. Printing Photos examine exactly how much resolution you need for certain tasks, such as printing particular enlargements. Digital (Exaggerated) Analog (Mimicked) www.ACDSYSTEMS.com 13 Part I. Camera and Technology Tips According to experts in digital imaging and human physiology, for a digital photo to be equivalent in resolution to what the average person sees with their eyes, it would have to have 120mp of resolution. This number is derived mainly from our ability to see detail far into the distance as compared to the level of detail you can see in a photo when you zoom in repeatedly. Summary Digital and film resolution are definitely different, but can be reasonably compared, and digital still has a ways to go before it provides the kind of flexibility for making the big enlargements that film offers. Nevertheless, digital cameras of 3mp and up provide all the resolution you need to enjoy great prints up to 8x10 inches provided the claimed megapixel rating of the camera refers to optical resolution and not interpolated resolution. Tip 3 Optical vs.Interpolated Resolution Do you know the difference? If not, you could end up with a digital camera that has less resolution that you'd hoped. In turn, this can translate into fewer printing and editing options. Plus, there are other benefits to knowing the ins and outs of optical and interpolated resolution for your camera or prospective camera, such as saving time when taking, printing and sharing photos. Pixels and Image Sensors The optical resolution of any camera is a number that represents the collection of pixels on the surface of the image sensor or CCD (charged coupled device).This is the base number that determines how clear and sharp your photos will be under various circumstances. These circumstances include when your photos are: viewed on your computer screen at full size; zoomed in to various levels while onscreen; cropped and resized for viewing or printing; printed at the standard size of 4x6; printed at 5x7; and, printed at larger sizes such as 8x10 and over. In each of the above cases, you must have enough resolution so that the pixels are either not obvious, or, better yet, not noticeable without close examination. For professionals and most enthusiasts, the goal is for them not to be noticeable at all. 14 www.ACDSYSTEMS.com Part I. Camera and Technology Tips Why Interpolate? To improve overall resolution in some limited ways, such as moderately improving print size, the initial optical resolution can be increased using software.This interpolation process artificially adds pixels to a photo and it can be done within cameras that include interpolation options or using photo editing software. From a camera manufacturer's standpoint, another reason to interpolate may simply be the benefit of being able to claim a higher resolution rating. How Interpolation Works To interpolate a photo, the software evaluates those pixels surrounding each new pixel to determine what its color should be. For example, if all of the pixels around a newly inserted pixel are red, the new pixel will be red. Why Avoid Interpolation? Basically, the issue is that interpolated resolution does not add any new information to the image. It just adds pixels and makes a larger image file.Yes, a properly interpolated image file can typically be printed at a slightly larger size, but a camera with 3mp of optical resolution will enable you to print medium quality 8x10-inch enlargements anyway, and very few photographers print photos larger than this. Likewise, a 3mp digital camera will enable you to perform significant cropping and resizing and still print a medium quality 5x7-inch photo. Another reason to avoid interpolation is that the larger image files it creates take more time to process.This can mean more time for your camera to capture your photo and write it into memory; more time to download those photos onto your computer; more time to print them; and finally, more time to share them electronically if you are going to share the originals. So, avoiding interpolation means saving time in a lot of different ways. Conclusion Whenever you are shopping for a digital camera, be sure to look for the optical resolution.You should also keep in mind that a camera with 3mp of optical resolution will enable you to print professional quality 5x7-inch enlargements and medium-quality 8x10-inch photos.This means 3mp of optical resolution is generally enough for most photographers. Since many digital cameras do boast of interpolated resolution, you should find out under what quality settings the interpolation kicks in. For many cameras interpolation is only performed on photos taken at maximum quality, so you can easily save time by avoiding this setting. www.ACDSYSTEMS.com 15 Part I. Camera and Technology Tips Tip 4 Reducing Shutter Lag What Is Shutter Lag? Shutter lag is the delay on digital cameras from when you press the shutter-release button to when the photo is taken.When you first make the switch to digital, it can throw you off a bit and lead to blurred photos and people looking away. However, both newbies and more seasoned digital shooters can overcome it with a bit of practice and knowledge and soon you'll be shooting as comfortably as you used to with your film camera. With a film camera the shutter-release process is mechanical, so there is no lag beyond any auto-focusing that may happen. But with digital, your commands have to be processed by a tiny onboard computer. First the camera has to focus, then the onboard computer wipes the CCD clean of the information from the previous photo before your photo is taken. (The CCD is the digital equivalent of film.) Shutter Lag and Camera Type Typically, the pricier a digital camera, the quicker the onboard computer and the shorter the shutter lag. High-end digital cameras for professionals and major enthusiasts may not have a noticeable shutter lag at all, but for most digital camera users it helps to know and remember what the shutter lag is so you can compensate effectively. Also keep in mind that many high-end digital cameras use the same CCD's and onboard computers as mid-range models and only add other features, so more expensive doesn't necessarily mean faster.Test each camera to be sure before buying. With rapid improvements in digital camera technology, you should be able to find a camera fairly easily that has an average shutter lag of a half second or less and definitely under a second.Time was that many entry-level cameras had lags of up to 2 seconds and some even more. After using the method outlined below to determine average shutter lag, consider carefully if you are willing to wait any longer than one half to three quarters of a second to capture special moments before you buy the camera. How to Reduce Shutter Lag You can judge how much shutter lag your camera or prospective camera has by doing the following.Turn on your camera and wait until it's ready to take pictures. Ensure it is set to highest quality.Take an initial photo to put something on the CCD.Then, press the shutter-release button completely down from the fully open position and count "onethousand-and-one, etc"until the photo is actually taken. A stopwatch will help here. 16 www.ACDSYSTEMS.com Part I. Camera and Technology Tips Do this a few times to get an average result.Then remember that this is how long it will always take to get a quick snapshot if you do not make adjustments to your shooting method. Here's what to do to make things faster. Pre-Focus: First off, shutter lag can be significantly reduced using the pre-focus method. Pre-focus by pointing directly at your subject and pressing the shutter release button down halfway.This in itself takes time, but when you press your shutter release button the rest of the way, you'll get your photo faster. Reduce Quality Settings: Another method is to reduce the photo quality settings before shooting.The larger the image file, the longer it will take to wipe it from the CCD before recording the next picture. Technically, the wait time in this case is actually referred to as "click-toclick processing,"but on some cameras if you press the shutter button toward the end of the process for recording the previous photo another photo will be taken when the processing is done, so it seems like shutter lag. Ask yourself if you really need photos for a particular event in TIFF format (an uncompressed format available in many mid-range cameras) or the highest quality proprietary format that may come with your camera.These are great for landscapes and portraits when you can take your time, but not necessarily the best for capturing can did moments at a family BBQ. Additional Techniques: Other things to consider, especially for getting candid shots, include pre-focusing while pointing the camera in another direction then turning to shoot the photo.Try to pre-focus on something that is about the same distance away as your subject(s). As well, turning your flash off can make shooting quicker, as the flash takes time to warm up and perform additional functions like reducing red-eye. Happy snapping! Tip 5 Speed Up Click-to-Click Processing What Is Click-to-Click Processing? Click-to-click processing is the time it takes your camera to be ready to capture another photo after you have just taken one.There will usually be a light on your camera that flashes after one shot and until the camera is ready to take another.Your camera may also make a noise when it is ready to go again. When it comes to using your camera effectively, click-to-click processing can make a big difference, especially if you have recently converted from film where it isn't much of an issue.Therefore, you should make sure to take this into account when shopping for a camera. www.ACDSYSTEMS.com 17 Part I. Camera and Technology Tips As with timing shutter lag, simply count off the seconds from when one photo is taken to when the light stops flashing.Then add the shutter lag you calculated when starting with the shutter-release button fully open and you'll have the click-to-click processing time. A typical click-to-click processing time for a low-end to mid-grade digital camera is 4-6 seconds. Knowing this will allow you to adjust your technique by doing things such as letting your subjects relax for a few seconds between shots.There are a number of choices you can make to speed up click-to-click processing. Here's what to think about. How to Speed Things Up There are four main areas in which you can pursue options to decrease the time you must wait between consecutive photos: flash settings, quality settings, memory card size, and exposure settings. Flash Settings: Your flash and how fast it "recycles"can contribute to long waits before you can click again.To speed things up in this area, turn your flash off if you do not need it. Also, off-camera flashes recycle much quicker, so if you can add one to your camera, it will speed things significantly. Quality Settings: Choosing a lower quality setting will shorten clickto-click time because smaller, lower quality photos take less time for your camera's onboard computer to write to your memory card. Shoot at highest quality when you will have plenty of time for each photo. Otherwise, lower your quality to enable faster snapping. Memory Card Size: The size of your memory card itself also contributes here. Larger cards not only drain more battery power, but also require demand more time from our camera's computer because it must search further for an appropriate place to put the new photo information.The best thing to do here is to purchase a collection of smaller cards, rather than investing is one big one. Exposure Settings: Exposure settings also contribute to click-to-click time, again because your camera's computer must process all the additional information associated with choosing additional settings such as white balance, exposure value compensation, spot metering, and so on.There is a potentially large trade-off here is some areas.The trick is to use only the manual settings you need for each situation and then to revert back to automatic settings to save time. 18 www.ACDSYSTEMS.com Part I. Camera and Technology Tips Tip 6 LCD Viewfinder Pointers Whether you just got a digital camera, are about to upgrade or have had one for a while, these helpful LCD viewfinder pointers will improve your digital photography experience. LCD Viewfinder Coverage A significant number of LCD viewfinders do not actually show everything that will be in the picture. Most, however, do show 95% to 98% of what will be in your picture.When shopping for a camera, do not settle for less than this as it will make it difficult to frame your photos properly, potentially leaving you to crop photos with your editing software before printing them. Likewise, the optical viewfinders on digital cameras may show as little as 85% of your final photo. If you prefer using an optical viewfinder as you did with your old film camera, look for a camera with TTL (through the lens) viewfinding, which is very accurate. This graphic shows the typical amount of coverage in digital cameras for non-TTL optical (inner line) and LCD viewfinders (outer line). LCD Size Most digital cameras come with LCD screens 1.5 to 2 inches in size, measured diagonally. A few manufacturers offer higher-end models with larger screens of 2.5 inches across, including but not limited to Sony, Panasonic, Leica and Kyocera. Larger is definitely better. Framing photos using the LCD viewfinder and reviewing photos are key elements and benefits of digital photography, so LCD screen size should be high on your list of important items when considering a camera. LCD Brightness The brighter the LCD screen display, the more likely you will be able to read it in bright sunlight.Test screen brightness in stores by trying to view it next to a bright window or close to a bright lamp. Also, ask if you can test the LCD screen in a darkened area. Some LCD screens do not perform well at night, which can really hamper night photography. Look for options to brighten and dim the display, which can be very helpful. LCD Refresh Rate How often the camera updates the image on the LCD screen is referred to as the "refresh rate."If the rate is too slow, you will see lots of distracting blurring and color problems when panning your camera to set up a shot. www.ACDSYSTEMS.com 19