How to get great Images from a Point and Shoot.

Sony 24-70mm F4 Vario-Tessar T* FE OSS

03/25/2006 07:39:09 PM · #26

I just tried the ping pong ball thing, and all I can say is: WOW! It works great, I am never leaving home without my ping pong ball from now on. I'll post a few shots as soon as I can find something worthy of photographing.

Bear_Music

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

03/25/2006 07:49:25 PM · #27

Originally posted by fotomann_forever:

Originally posted by emorgan49:
Why are view finders being eliminated from the new P&S cameras? The guy at Best Buy said it was because "customers didn't want it".

I suppose, on the low-end cameras, they are being elliminated for price cutting reasons. It adds a little cost, because you have to have a second set of optics. The sales guy is right too. Why add more to the cost of production if customers aren't screaming for it?

The market trend is to bigger LCDs, which are great. For a given camera size, to maximize LCD size you need to eliminate optical viewfinder. I think that's a factor too. Casual people with P&S cameras are often really into the social aspects of chimping, so the bigger LCD is a market plus.

R.

klstover

Panasonic DMC-FZ8

03/25/2006 08:16:23 PM · #28

Thanks, GeneralIE. I've never used the menu to zoom, so that's good. :-)

awpollard

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS

03/25/2006 08:20:39 PM · #29

Originally posted by klstover:

Hm. I think I don't know the difference between digital and optical zoom, or how to stop using digital zoom if I am.

Looks like it might be easy to accidently go into digit zoom on your cam (Z10). Page 53 of the manual.

Appears that type hold the telephoto lever (t side) until the lens zooms out (in on subject) if you continue to hold it, it will go into digital zoom mode the you will see it on the LCD as x1, x2, x3 or x4 and the zoom bar will be yellow on the right indicating how much digital zoom you are applying.

Couldn't tell if there was a way to turn it off in the menu (there should be)

klstover

Panasonic DMC-FZ8

03/25/2006 08:25:33 PM · #30

awpollard: Thanks. That's interesting. I've never managed to do that either. I really need to go through the manual and "follow along" with my camera because I didn't get a whole lot out of just reading it before.

elemess

Canon EOS-20D

Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM

03/25/2006 08:35:50 PM · #31

Originally posted by emorgan49:

Why are view finders being eliminated from the new P&S cameras? The guy at Best Buy said it was because "customers didn't want it".

My viewfinder is nearly worthless. The LCD display shows 100% of the picture, the viewfinder just above 90%. Also, the viewfinder doesn't show what the lens sees - I very quickly got sick of seeing the lens at the bottom of the viewer. Also also, the viewfinder doesn't show the actual focal point, only a box for the center - so if you've moved your focus point from center, you can't tell what to focus on through the viewer.

At least, that's how it is on my P&S. Others could be different.

It's just part of the reason I spent some time today at the local camera temple fondling dSLRs. Though I have to admit, I'll miss the way my LCD screen can pivot all over the place.

Kelli

Canon EOS-D60

03/25/2006 08:36:00 PM · #32

Originally posted by David.C:

I like the ping-pong ball idea -- but I'm wondering if a larger ball (say baseball sized) would defuse the light better or if the flash would be so close it wouldn't matter. Any thoughts?

One thing I have noticed about this thread, those not using P&S cameras are still benefiting from the suggestions.

To add to the thread:

-- learn if and how to lock the exposure and focus (seperately if possible).
-- learn how to ensure your camera is focused at infinity (landscape mode will generally do this and tend toward smaller apertures).
-- in addition to the golfball above, learn how to adjust the exposure bias of the onboard flash.
-- use a tripod
-- only zoom when absolutely necessary, move closer if possible.
-- get a polarizer if shooting outside.
-- if at all possible, use the viewfinder. Get out of the habit of composing with the LCD screen. You will be more involved with the scene and your batteries will last longer (if you turn off the LCD, that is).

David

A question... I bought a polarizer and can't see to adjust it through the viewfinder or the LCD. So how do I know when it's right? Sometimes it makes the pictures come out so dark you can't see anything and other times it's like it had no effect what so ever. I've tried them for shots involving water (to "see" through the water). So far I've had no success with it at all. Is it a lost cause? Or is it just hit and miss?

Sigma 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 DC OS for Canon

03/25/2006 08:42:50 PM · #33

One problem with the ping pong ball (or at least the one i got) is that it cuts down a LOT of the light that the flash is outputting, even though I have it set to full power. It works great for up to about 5-6 feet and after that, the light fall off is far too much. Also, the ones I got aren't totally white and give the shot a warm tone. I am still trying to figure out a way to correct this, my camera doesn't do RAW so I can't correct entirely in post processing. Any thoughts?

Message edited by author 2006-03-25 20:44:51.

viajero

Canon EOS-20D

03/25/2006 09:14:45 PM · #34

I sometimes get good results just holding a white piece of paper in front of the flash at an angle. Some of the light diffuses through it and a little bit can even bounce off the ceiling. Even smaller than a ping pong ball. This does reduce the range of the flash though.

David.C

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D

03/25/2006 10:05:54 PM · #35

Originally posted by kdsprog:

Unfortunately, for P&S cameras that don't see thru the lens the effect can be hard to see. The LCDs are getting better, but they are still small and of low enough resolution they don't show the changes very well. One solution is to take the polarizer off the camera, hold it up and turn it until it makes thing look right to your eyes. Mark where top is and put it back on the camera making sure the mark is still at the top. Very time consuming, but needed at times.

David

Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM

03/26/2006 04:54:28 AM · #36

Sometimes it can be to bright outside to see the LCD and you will have to use the viewfinder. My A70 only shows about 90% of the image also it does however zoom in with the lever.

eschelar

Canon EOS-7D

03/26/2006 07:02:50 AM · #37

If your flash is warming things up, try the tungsten white balance?

Also, you might try doing the custom white balance, although I'm not sure if that will allow you to include a flash burst or not...

Glass viewfinders are WAYYY better than EVF's when it comes to panning shots. WOW!

I went to an amusement park about a month ago with some friends and they wanted me to take pictures of them on the rides.... Crumbs! tough stuff!!!

Man, will I be glad once I get a DSLR.

EVF's do not have true instant refresh rates, so you are always going to be moving just a bit behind the actual motion.

Pulled some rather decent results, but WOW it was HARD!

One of the friends I went with brought his A95, and had much less trouble with his panned shot... yay.

Tips:

- learn where the AE lock Focus lock buttons are for more creative compositions.
- learn how to use the self-timer *** especially with a non-viewfinder camera *** as this will allow you to reduce camera shake a fair bit, especially if you can set the camera on something.

03/26/2006 07:03:32 PM · #38

Where do you get the plastic golf balls? there isnt any on e-bay. Im sure i can find ping pong balls but the golf ball shape is interesting.

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

03/26/2006 07:05:01 PM · #39

Originally posted by BowerR64:

Where do you get the plastic golf balls? there isnt any on e-bay. Im sure i can find ping pong balls but the golf ball shape is interesting.

I'm sure you can find them at most sports stores. And I managed to get the white balance right and it works great other than the very short range.

Beetle

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

03/26/2006 07:57:40 PM · #40

I'm glad some people liked my ball diffuser :-) It sure isn't perfect, but can be better than nothing.

Re where to get them: toy stores, dollar stores, Big Lots.

crayon

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

03/26/2006 09:05:14 PM · #41

1. if you cant find pingpong or toy golf balls, just stick some scotch tape over your flash. Use non-residual sticky tape though.

2. certain P&S camera has "optical" digital zoom. What this means is, if you camera has a 10mp sensor and 3x optical zoom, but if you set the camera to shoot in 5mp mode, the optical zoom can be "increased" to 6x because the cropping is done from a 10mp photo. READ YOUR MANUAL on this - not all "digital zoom" are bad.

03/26/2006 09:10:25 PM · #42

Ive tried the tape but i wanted to try the ball because i think the ball will change the direction of the light. Insted of just having it fire forward it will redirect it wich can be somthing to try.

fotomann_forever

03/26/2006 09:17:30 PM · #43

For those trying the ball technique, you may get more output by taping aluminum foil to the backside of the ball.

This would bounce some of the light that is lost going backwards back out the front of the ball.

Message edited by author 2006-03-26 21:18:28.

03/26/2006 09:19:05 PM · #44

If anyone wants to see the results of the ping pong ball test, here they are:
1. Straight flash, no diffuser:

2. Ping pong ball without white balance adjustment:

3. Ping pong ball with proper white balance (I think):

Does a pretty decent job for $0.25 worth of stuff. I'd like to play with it more to see if I can do better also.

Message edited by author 2006-03-26 21:21:38.

03/26/2006 09:24:36 PM · #45

The foil is a good idea, I'll give it a go as soon as I find some....