Tag Archives: tips

Ok, you read Part 1, and you have a conceptual idea of what you want your new camera to be able to do for you. But how do you turn that list of desires into a shopping list? Here’s a few common things that people would like to do with their cameras, and the corresponding equipment that will make it possible.

If you’re just starting out, you might want to read this article that explains crop factors and how that affects what you see through the viewfinder.

1. I want to get in close to the action, without having to physically get too close to my subjects.

You’ll want a telephoto or zoom lens. For capturing your kids at a moderate distance in the back yard, anything from 100mm to 200mm should be fine. Any more than 200mm gets very difficult to hand-hold without shaking – you’ll need a fast shutter speed, and maybe also a tripod or monopod.

2. I want blurred backgrounds so that my subject really stands out.

There are two ways you can achieve this. With any lens, the more you are “zoomed in”, the closer you are to your subject, and the greater the distance between the subject and the background, the more likely your background will be nicely blurred.

You can also use a lens with a wider aperture – the maximum f-stop number will be a low one (like 1.4 or 2.8). Using these lenses at their widest setting (the lowest possible f-stop value) will help you blur out the background. You can get a great 50mm prime lens for Canon or Nikon that is f1.8 at its widest setting.

3. I want to get really deep blue skies.

You will need a polarising filter. You buy the correct size to fit the diameter of your lens, and just screw it on the end. Circular polarises have the ability to rotate on the end of your lens, which increases and decreases the effect. It’s like buying sunnies for your camera – it cuts glare and enhances colours.

4. I want to take portraits indoors using flash, but my on-camera flash gives me washed out faces with harsh shadows.

A speedlight will help fix this. You can “bounce” the light off the ceiling or other surrounding flat surfaces, to give a nice even light. Speedlights are also a lot more powerful than on-camera flashes, and can also be used in manual modes to give you greater control.

5. I want to take photos of my kids on stage in a dimly-lit auditorium. And I will be sitting 30 rows back.

I hope your credit card is warmed up! You can get fantastic lenses that combine great zoom and a wide aperture, but they don’t come cheap. Often you’ll get a kit lens with an excellent zoom range, but the widest aperture you can achieve is around f5.6. If you really are keen for good results, save your pennies and invest in something like a 70-200mm f2.8.

Something else that will help in low-light situations is a body with a good ISO range. ISO is a measure of how sensitive the sensor is to light. A low number (e.g. 100) indicates a low sensitivity, but will give you the clearest image. A high number (e.g. 1600) indicates a high sensitivity and will allow you to capture images in low light. The trade-off is quality – high ISO = “noise” artefacts in your image. The better quality body, the better it will handle high ISO settings. For example, my first DSLR was way to “noisy” for my liking at anything above 320, so I was really limited. My current camera body performs beautifully even at 1600, giving me tons of flexibility to get great images in all kinds of dodgy light. It is one of my two favourite things about my current camera.

6. I love taking photos of my kids playing sport, but I seem to miss the action shot most of the time.

Most DSLRs have a “burst mode” option that allows you to take continuous shots for as long as you hold the shutter down (until you camera needs a break to copy all the files to your memory card). Look for a camera body that has a high frame rate (it could be anything from 3fps (frames per second) to 12fps. That way you can get your focus right and shoot a few in burst mode. This is also a great way of showing an action sequence.

You’ll also want a fast memory card too, so you don’t get slowed up waiting for the camera to write to the card.

7. I want to take close-ups of bugs and insects.

There are a few ways you can achieve this, but the simplest is to buy a macro lens. They allow you to get right in close and fill the frame with your tiny subject. There are some modification options for standard lenses to make this possible too, but you’ll have to research more elsewhere – I’m not a guru where that’s concerned.

8. Sometimes the kids are just too cute and I want to catch some video of their antics, not just photos.

Quite a few DSLRs now have hi-def video capability built in, so you can switch between still shots and video quickly and easily. Keep in mind that you can only record relatively short snippets (roughly 12 minutes I think, don’t quote me…) as the censor will overheat otherwise. It’ll also chew heaps of space on your memory card, so buy a big one if video is your thing.

9. I don’t want to change lenses, is there one lens that does it all?

Unfortunately, the short answer is “no”. The reason there is such a huge range of lenses available is that there are pros and cons to every lens. Prime lenses are usually fast (have a wide aperture) and sharp, because the optics are designed to produce a great image at a single focal length. But zooms are great too, because you get lots of flexibility in how you frame your subject, without moving your feet. The payoff with zooms is that they aren’t as sharp all the way through their range, and often can’t achieve the same wide aperture that primes can. Lenses like an 18-200mm let you capture a whole range of different shots, from wide-angle landscapes, to close ups from far away (and is a really popular option for travelling). But the quality is just not going to be as good as a lens with less range.

My advice is to find a good balance for your needs: choose a lens of the highest quality you can afford, with the shortest zoom range you need for flexibility, and the widest aperture possible. It’s all a trade off between sharpness, aperture and zoom flexibility – and of course, cost!

10. I want to take photos of my son’s cricket match, but I don’t want to hold a heavy camera all day.

When you’re in the same position for a while, a tripod or monopod will make life that much easier. Unfortunately, all tripods are not made equal, I could write a whole post on choosing both your tripod legs and head. Suffice to say that investing in quality is my top recommendation – putting your expensive camera gear on a flimsy plastic tripod is a recipe for disaster!

For a little bit of weight relief, but great manoeuvrability, a monopod could be a good option for you too – you can change direction and angle almost as quickly as if you were hand-holding, but you don’t have to take the weight. It also provides some stability to minimise camera shake, and doesn’t take up much room.

Two more general hints:

• The kit lens or lenses that come with your camera will be of a comparable quality to the body you choose. So an entry level body will come with entry level lenses, and a pro body will come with a high quality lens. You can buy bodies and lenses separately, but buying a kit is a little cheaper than buying the individual items separately. Often the kit lens is a good choice for first time DSLR shooters, but if it’s portraits you’re interested in, a prime lens can be a good investment. Both Canon and Nikon make an affordable 50mm f1.8, which will give you heaps more flexibility to shoot in low light conditions and achieve a shallow depth of field (blurred background).

• Megapixels actually aren’t that important. When digital cameras first came out, more was definitely better. We started at 1, 2, 3 megapixels, and it went up from there. Now it’s nothing to see 12, 18 or 20 megapixels, even in a compact camera! Bigger pixels are better than many pixels. 10 megapixels on a full-frame sensor is better than 14 megapixels on a compact camera’s sensor, because each individual pixel is much bigger and can capture and hold more light information.

Want to get the most out of your new camera? Check out Love My Camera for a fantastic opportunity to get some pro mentoring!

This isn’t an exhaustive list, so if you’ve got any other scenarios you’d like tips on, leave them in the comments.

Want to keep up with Gerty’s updates, hot tips and gorgeous images? Then you’ll want to subscribe

So you’ve seen your friends get great results from their fancy new DSLR camera, and you want to do the same. You love the way you can blur the background to really make the people stand out. You like being able to get in close to the action, without physically having to jump into the enclosure with the lioness and her new cubs.

It’s time to buy your own!

But how do you go about choosing from the plethora of options available for first time DSLR users, and how do you know when enough’s enough?

Here’s my suggested list of top 10 things to figure out before you get your credit card warmed up!

Tip 1: Pick a brand and stick with it!

DSLRs are not like cars. With cars, when you need a new one, you start all over. It doesn’t matter if you’re going from Subaru to Subaru, or Ford to Holden, because it’s out with the old and in with the new. With DSLRs, the brand you choose now is probably going to be the brand you stick with. You might want new features that come out in a year or two, but you can probably get them by buying a new body and keeping your existing lenses. If you change “systems” down the track, it can be super expensive to start all over again. So choose your brand wisely!

An important reason for this is…

Tip 2: Where are you going with this?

Do you just want to take better photos of your kids? Or do you want to be the go-to family photographer for birthdays and events? Do you want to work on your skills and improve over time?

The reason you should think about this now, is that your decision about your first camera can either save or cost you money in the long run. Buying an entry-level, basic DSLR will give you a great advantage over your current point-and-shoot. But if you want to get into the art of photography a bit deeper, you might want to consider spending a bit more now, to give you greater flexibility and creative control later, without having to upgrade your equipment too quickly. And if you’ve chosen your brand wisely, enhancing your kit down the track can be done seamlessly and more affordably.

Tip 3: What frustrates you when taking photos with your point-and-shoot camera?

Think about the times when your point-and-shoot just doesn’t cut it. Does it not get you close enough? Do the shots come out blurry when you take photos of your kids on stage in the school auditorium? Maybe you need a bigger zoom, or a camera with a higher ISO capability. Write a list of “frustrations” with your current camera, and then make sure your shiny new DSLR is designed to address those issues.

Tip 4: What environments will you be taking photos in?

Similarly to Tip 3, try to think about when you take most of your photos, or when you would like to take photos. Sometimes I take a photo with my iPhone and think, “Why on earth did I spend so much money on my camera gear when I can get results like this from a phone???” The thing is, in perfect lighting conditions with the perfect subject, even the most basic of cameras can take a great shot. If you’ve got high hopes for getting awesome close-ups of the bride and groom exchanging vows from your seat 20 rows back, chances are that’s going to point you towards a particular lens (think telephoto!).

Tip 5: What’s your budget?

You can get some pretty awesome equipment for pretty awesome prices these days, but it’s still a considerable investment. Figure out your budget and stick with it. Chances are there’s something great out there that won’t break the bank.

Tip 6: Do you need it all now?

I often tell people who are looking at their first DSLR to get a decent but basic kit that will serve them for their general needs, and play with it for a while. It might be all you ever need. Or maybe you’ll soon start to build a wish-list of features, such as closer focussing to get great macro shots, better lighting for portraits at night-time parties, the ability to turn the sky a deep rich blue that makes your shot look like a postcard. Once you know your camera (and its limitations), then start expanding your kit. If you try to get everything you think you’ll need straight up, you’ll probably end up spending too much money and have a heap of gear that never gets used.

Tip 7: Don’t forget accessories.

When planning your purchase, don’t forget to budget for the necessary extras like memory cards, UV filters (optional, to protect your lens – but that’s a whole post on it’s own!), protective carry bag, lens cleaning cloth etc. Many people are surprised that new cameras don’t come with memory cards, but it’s a bit like buying a film camera and expecting a supply of film to be thrown in. And while we’re talking about memory cards, don’t go cheap on those. I use Sandisk exclusively, and have never personally had a problem with data corruption or lost images.

Tip 8: Plan to protect your investment.

When you get home, before you open the box, make sure you ring up your home and contents insurer and get your equipment added to your policy. In most cases, you will need to specify each individual item as a portable extra (or whatever terminology your insurer uses), so that it is covered when in use outside your home, as well as for theft and loss.

Tip 9: Don’t buy online…

This is a tip, not a rule, but I think it’s super important. For two reasons.

One. The advice and customer service you receive by supporting a local camera store is invaluable. I know that not every salesperson in every camera store is wonderful and knowledgable and helpful, but many are, and there’s just nothing like a hands-on comparison between brands and models to help you decide.

Two. Yes, you can save $$$ by buying from a grey-market importer online. But what happens if you need to make a warranty claim? Many of these sellers offer a standard one-year warranty, but it’s not always a genuine manufacturer’s warranty, and could cost you heaps in time and money getting it fixed by their nominated repairer (i.e. it might be Joe Bloggs up the street, who tinkers with camera gear in his spare time; or worse, back to Hong Kong!).

There is lots I could say about this, but I’ll keep it short: I am not an advocate of going into your awesome local camera store and picking their brains, handling the gear and trying to beat their price down to match an importer (who has minimal overheads and provides you zero service), and then going and buying it online anyway. I know you would never dream of doing that, but I’ve seen it happen plenty of times. Enough said.

Tip 10: It’s not a magic wand (unfortunately).

Your camera is a great asset to help you on the road to taking better photos – you’ve got to like it, be comfortable holding it and feel good using it. Choose something that feels right. But don’t expect that buying a DSLR will anoint you with miraculous powers to turn out professional and award winning images every time. The equipment you use is only part of the story – the rest is up to you. Get to know your equipment and what it can do. Get to know what it can’t do too, so you can find strategies to improve.

And if you and your shiny new DSLR aren’t quite seeing eye to eye just yet, maybe you could benefit from a bit of one-on-one mentoring from yours truly – check out Love My Camera for more info.

PS. For what it’s worth, I shoot Canon and have never had a moment’s regret with the brand.

Want to keep up with Gerty’s updates, hot tips and gorgeous images? Then you’ll want to subscribe