Question about camera
- Thread starter Zig
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My old camera had 3.2Mpix and that was absolutely sufficient. If you're having trouble using the camera, try to get to know it better before buying a new one, most often the only 'real' problem with most cameras is lack of knowledge. When you feel you know a bit about handling the camera and still get bad shots, then it might be time to look for something matching your skill.
The amount of pixels a camera can dish out is usually just a measurement of how high the resolution of the pics is in the end, it doesn't say anything about how good the optics are or how well the camera handles.
The amount of pixels a camera can dish out is usually just a measurement of how high the resolution of the pics is in the end, it doesn't say anything about how good the optics are or how well the camera handles.
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Photoshop is good for the last tweaks, like cropping out the unnecessary parts of the picture and tweaking the colours to better look like they do in reality. Everything else should be taken care of by you through proper lightning, camera adjustments and backgrounds, there's many, many great tutorials here that show you how.
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http://www.crutchfield.com/S-AXbh3HdWpnY/learn/learningcenter/home/digitalcameras.html
http://digital-photography-school.com/how-to-buy-a-digital-camera
The main determining factors of the image quality of digital cameras are sensor size (NOT resolution or megapixels...) and lens.
An ancient 4mp Canon 1D will annihilate the quality of almost every current point and shoot thanks to having a larger sensor and the ability to use better lenses. Megapixels are (mostly) a marketing ploy.
http://digital-photography-school.com/how-to-buy-a-digital-camera
The main determining factors of the image quality of digital cameras are sensor size (NOT resolution or megapixels...) and lens.
An ancient 4mp Canon 1D will annihilate the quality of almost every current point and shoot thanks to having a larger sensor and the ability to use better lenses. Megapixels are (mostly) a marketing ploy.
nels0nmac
Member
All the pics I have in my gallery are taken with a 2MP Canon Powershot; yes 2MP. I don't think you can even buy a 2MP camera these days. Mine is coming up to 8 years old.
Large MP cameras are good if you want something that you can print out as a large picture.A 2MP picture can just about scrape being printed at A4 but even then its starting to get a little blurred. If you only want a camera to post pics online then it really doesn't matter if it has a small MP. What really counts is a good lens ( most Canons have IMHO good lenses), a good macro setting, and if you can get one a tripod; which combined with a timer on the camera will negate any camera shake when you take the picture.
That combined with learning how you camera works best should give you nice clear pics. Good luck.
Large MP cameras are good if you want something that you can print out as a large picture.A 2MP picture can just about scrape being printed at A4 but even then its starting to get a little blurred. If you only want a camera to post pics online then it really doesn't matter if it has a small MP. What really counts is a good lens ( most Canons have IMHO good lenses), a good macro setting, and if you can get one a tripod; which combined with a timer on the camera will negate any camera shake when you take the picture.
That combined with learning how you camera works best should give you nice clear pics. Good luck.
the biggest tip that i give time and time again is use a tripod. that can be a 150£ all singing all dancing 5' tripod or just a couple of books to keep it steady on the table.
set your camera to self timer (that way you aren't touching it when the shutter goes)
(generally) it is better to zoom in and be further back than be zoomed out and be ridiculously close.
try and shoot somewhere well lit during the day (helps reduce shadows cast across your model), avoid flash.
if you know your camera well enough, try and set the iso quite low (under 400 preferably lower) and the aperture (denoted as f.xx or f/xx or 1:xx where xx is a number) as high as it will go. these two will keep the image clean from noise and ensure as much as possible is in focus. However it will take longer to take the picture (maybe >1 second) so see point 1
set your camera to self timer (that way you aren't touching it when the shutter goes)
(generally) it is better to zoom in and be further back than be zoomed out and be ridiculously close.
try and shoot somewhere well lit during the day (helps reduce shadows cast across your model), avoid flash.
if you know your camera well enough, try and set the iso quite low (under 400 preferably lower) and the aperture (denoted as f.xx or f/xx or 1:xx where xx is a number) as high as it will go. these two will keep the image clean from noise and ensure as much as possible is in focus. However it will take longer to take the picture (maybe >1 second) so see point 1
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Einion
New member
:good:Spacemunkie said:
This honestly can't be stressed enough - as long as there is sufficient resolution then the clarity of the image is what's most important. It's actually better, for this purpose, to buy a camera of lower resolution but better image quality than one with lots more res if the shots are prone to being noisy.
How good the macro is is also important, since if you can only get a 32mm mini to be about half the size of the frame (or less) in the long dimension then that's a bit small if the resolution is also not high. If the resolution is on the low side but the macro allows you to just about fill the frame with the same mini there are more pixels actually recording the detail.
Using a tripod? Using the self timer? How's your focus?Zig said:
If you think you're doing everything right and you're still having trouble then I would suggest you upload one of your pics at full size - as it comes directly from the camera - to Imageshack or Photobucket and we can have a look at it and see if we can determine the problem.
Einion
Don't pay for any photo manipulation software.
Google picasa is free and well up to the job.
http://www.miniaturewargaming.com/index.php/wiki/Photographing_Miniatures_From_Wee_Toy_Soldiers/
I have 2 cameras.
I recently bought a canon sx110 is second hand for the ability to use it tethered.
Previously I used a sony cybershot which is I think 8mp and more than adequate.
I would guess the OP's problem is shake, messing up the autofocus, not setting macro or light.
I would generally recommend something like my cybershot to any casual user.
It's small, so you can stick it in a shirt pocket whilst travelling or on a night out.
Huge plus to me since the bigger the camera the less likely I'd be carrying the thing when an opportunity to snap arose.
Google picasa is free and well up to the job.
http://www.miniaturewargaming.com/index.php/wiki/Photographing_Miniatures_From_Wee_Toy_Soldiers/
I have 2 cameras.
I recently bought a canon sx110 is second hand for the ability to use it tethered.
Previously I used a sony cybershot which is I think 8mp and more than adequate.
I would guess the OP's problem is shake, messing up the autofocus, not setting macro or light.
I would generally recommend something like my cybershot to any casual user.
It's small, so you can stick it in a shirt pocket whilst travelling or on a night out.
Huge plus to me since the bigger the camera the less likely I'd be carrying the thing when an opportunity to snap arose.
Legacy Account
Active member
If you don't want to buy software, use GIMP....
Great guide.. i will be using this when others ask
