Daily Photo Tips Archive

07.Aug.11Some third party accessories may exceed the quality of accessories produced by a camera maker. Some after-market manufacturers see 'holes' in a primary manufacturer's lineup and try to produce goods that will these voids.

06.Aug.11Generally, digital camera bodies become obsolete much faster than lenses. Newer lens versions come along from time to time, but digital camera bodies are constantly being upgraded with better sensors, better data management, and more advanced features.

05.Aug.11Normal zoom lenses usually range from about 28mm to about 80mm (35mm equivalent). Variable-aperture versions are among the most common lenses sold, particularly with 'kit' camera systems, and are often fairly lightweight and slow. Their quality varies greatly: read photographer reviews before you buy!

04.Aug.11Very few smaller format camera companies make tilt-shift optics. These movements are usually reserved for larger format camera systems, 4x5 or larger, where the camera body itself performs the movements.

03.Aug.11Stitching adjacent images may be technical or impossible with nearby 3D subjects. Because rotating the camera will change the point of view, stitch points may not register correctly. Moving the camera only about the true optical axis will help.

02.Aug.11Nested actions are vulnerable to failure when their names are changed. If you change the name of an action, all parent actions that call it will fail unless you re-record the name change. This may be difficult if you have dozens or even hundreds of parent actions!

01.Aug.11When presenting a portfolio, always be professional and courteous. With most galleries and organizations, professionalism is the one quality sought in artists that is rarely included in guidelines.

31.Jul.11Phase detect and contrast detect autofocus systems each have strengths and weaknesses. Familiarize yourself with the system on your camera so you can learn to use it more effectively.

30.Jul.11Linear polarizers don't interfere with contrast detect autofocus systems the way they do with phase detect autofocus systems. Since the system is only sensing pixel difference values, the light coming to the sensor can be polarized by any method.

29.Jul.11If you're working in the rain with a waterproof housing, try taking off the lens port to take a photograph. If the camera isn't pointed upwards, not much water will get in the housing. This method sidesteps the need to constantly wipe the lens port.

28.Jul.11Pinhole lenses are manufactured for a variety of mounts. They are often home-made or produced in obscurity, but are available online or in some photography stores.

27.Jul.11Even small structures can hold a tripod steadily if you are careful not to move them. By staying very still, you can even make tripod exposures from the trunk or roof of your car!

26.Jul.11If your camera allows it, try collecting JPEGs using the 'film mode' that matches the final output you plan to produce with the RAW file. This way, you can remember later what you were hoping to achieve in the field.

25.Jul.11Be careful when sharpening a photograph with an in-focus object against a blurred background. The edges of the object can quickly become haloed, making the edge transition seem unnatural.

24.Jul.11Phase detection autofocus systems usually have a finite number of possible autofocus points. Since the system is somewhat hardware-dependant, the points tend to be fixed at manufacture.