SnapShot Archives - 04/05/2000
SNAPSHOT - PHOTO NEWS FROM BETTERPHOTO.COM
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Welcome to SnapShot, the weekly newsletter on the art
of photography from http://www.betterphoto.com
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IN THIS ISSUE
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Wednesday, April 05, 2000
* SPOTLIGHT: A Short Course in Choosing & Using a Digital Camera
* BETTERPHOTO: The Next Step - Polaroid Emulsion Transfers
* WEB NEWS: Nature Photography Links
* WEB NEWS: Photoshop 5.5 Classroom in a Book, Special Web Edition
* WEB NEWS: CNET Article on High-Res Point & Shoot Digital Cameras
* THIS WEEK'S TIP: Using a Slave to Get Better Lighting
* PHOTO Q&A: Film for Indoor Action Sports Photography
* PHOTO Q&A: Is the Canon Rebel EOS a good camera?
* PHOTO Q&A: Canon Elan II vs. Canon Elan IIe
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IN THE SPOTLIGHT
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A Short Course in Choosing & Using a Digital Camera:
This enlightening book takes the technical, complicated world of digital
imaging and makes it easy to understand. If you've been considering a foray
into this new arena - but you were unsure of where to start, take this
excellent first step:
http://www.betterphoto.com/books/featured/CurtinCUDC.asp
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WHAT'S NEW AT BETTERPHOTO.COM
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Polaroid Emulsion Transfers
When you place a fully developed Polaroid in hot water for a few minutes,
the image separates from the Polaroid paper, allowing you to put stretch,
rip, fold, scrunch, or twist it any old way you like. In this companion
gallery to our earlier demonstration of Polaroid image transfers, see for
yourself what fun can be had by making Polaroid emulsion transfers:
http://www.betterphoto.com/pETransfers.asp
Buy the Daylab Jr. to start making your own transfers from slides:
http://www.betterphoto.com/product/productDetail.asp?productID=492
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PHOTOGRAPHIC HAPPENINGS ON THE WEB
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Nature Photography Links
Great site with lots of worthwhile links to everything from galleries to
locations. if you are looking for more resources on the Web - or would like
to promote your own - give this a visit:
http://www.naturepix.com/links.asp?category=5
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Photoshop 5.5 Classroom in a Book, Special Web Edition
This great book is a helpful, friendly tutorial that will make the medicine
we call Photoshop go down smooth and easy. Photoshop 5.5, the most recent
upgrade to the powerhouse image-manipulation software, now comes packaged
with ImageReady 2, Adobe's Web graphics application:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/020165895X/graphiqueA
Check into Photoshop 5.5:
http://www.betterphoto.com/product/productDetail.asp?productID=261
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CNET Article on High-Res Point & Shoot Digital Cameras
Take a peek with CNET at two of the first 3.3 megapixel cameras to hit the
market - the Canon PowerShot S20 and the Casio QV-3000EX. These cameras
produce very big files and are worth looking into:
http://computers.cnet.com/hardware/0-1078-7-1597590.html
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THIS WEEK'S TIP
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Using a Slave and External Flash to Get Better Lighting
In last week's tip, we discussed the horrors of using on-camera flash:
"...try to use natural light as much as possible. If you have no other
choice but to use it, keep relatively close to your subject and understand
that it (or they) will come back looking pasty white."
BetterPhoto member Danial suggests another way to improve lighting:
A friend of mine bought a high-dollar SLR with built-in flash and no PC
connection (a Pronea) and his flash pictures were, as you would expect,
awful. He asked my advice and I suggested that we try to use the on-camera
flash to trigger a side mounted Vivitar 283 with a peanut slave trigger
plugged into the side. The results were astonishing because the camera does
not care where the light comes from. The TTL capabilities were capable of
reading and reacting just beautifully and of course bouncing is now
available. I tried the same experiment with my wife's Nikon 800 QD with the
same amazing results and expanded capabilities.
The flash is very inexpensive and we used a $6 bracket attached to the
tripod mount hole on the camera. The peanut slave prices (and there is a
special one for Vivitar which plugs in directly with no wires) vary
wildly -- I bought a package of three for $20 but have seen them for three
times that much.
-Daniel
Nikon Pronea APS SLR Camera with Two Zoom Lenses:
http://www.betterphoto.com/product/productDetail.asp?productID=493
Vivitar 283 External Flash:
http://www.betterphoto.com/product/productDetail.asp?productID=495
Wein 3-Pack Peanut Slaves for $45.95:
http://www.tallyns.com/WeinSlv.htm
(anyone else know of a cheaper source?)
More slaves to look at:
http://dotlinecorp.com/dl_cat_E/-E05_slaves.html
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CAMERA AND PHOTOGRAPHY Q&A
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Q. Indoor Action Sports Photography
I have a Pentax K1000 with a lens I picked up which is a Tamron SP 70-210mm
with 32 - 3.5 f-stops. I am going to a WWF wrestling match and will be
rather close, around 20-30 feet. I am refraining from using a flash and
their photographers are not using them. I will be using Fuji 800.
Essentially, looking for tips with this lens and event. Thank you.
-Gabriel
A. You're in good shape with that set up. The only thing I would recommend
is a monopod to minimize blur.
-BetterPhoto
A. Thanks you for your feedback. Guess what though - I had to be set back
further and at the last minute had to switch to Fuji 1600. This worked out
well. With 800 my light meter dropped way down, regardless of the f-stop.
The 1600 was slightly underexposed according to the meter. However, the
pictures were satisfactory.
-Gabriel
Fuji 800 Color Film:
http://www.betterphoto.com/product/productDetail.asp?productID=292
Fuji 1600 Color Film:
http://www.betterphoto.com/product/productDetail.asp?productID=291
Respond to this question:
http://www.betterphoto.com/QnAredirect.asp?threadID=419
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Q. Is the Canon Rebel EOS a good camera?
-Paul
A. I have found Canon EOS to be great cameras. I have the Canon EOS Rebel
xs and the Rebel 2000. I have never had any mechanical problems with these
cameras. The auto functions are very reliable as well. You will not be
disappointed.
-George
Rebel 2000:
http://www.betterphoto.com/product/productDetail.asp?productID=228
Respond to this question:
http://www.betterphoto.com/QnAredirect.asp?threadID=254
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Q. Canon Elan II vs. Canon Elan IIe
I saw your review of the Canon Elan II. Do you by any chance have the IIe,
with the eye controlled focus feature? If so, do you wear glasses? I wear
progressive lenses and am wondering if the feature will work for me. We are
going to Africa in July and are hoping for good wildlife (including birds if
I'm lucky!) and landscape pictures.
I plan to buy the new Tamron 28-300mm lens with the II or the IIe body. I'd
appreciate any thoughts you might have. Thanks very much.
- Paula
A. I decided a while back that I didn't care much for the eye-controlled
focus. I do wear glasses sometimes but the main reason I went for the Elan
without this feature is that it was more of a hassle than a help. Anytime
someone else would use my camera, the settings would have to be switched. I
don't think it is too difficult to get the flick on center focusing. Enjoy
your trip!
Canon Elan II SLR Camera (without eye-controlled focus):
http://www.betterphoto.com/product/productDetail.asp?productID=238
Canon Elan IIe SLR Camera (with eye-controlled focus):
http://www.betterphoto.com/product/productDetail.asp?productID=2
Tamron 28-300mm Zoom Lens:
http://www.betterphoto.com/product/productDetail.asp?productID=490
Respond to this question:
http://www.betterphoto.com/QnAredirect.asp?threadID=491
*****
Ask a question or answer a few from your fellow photographers: http://www.betterphoto.com/qnaTOC.asp
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READ SNAPSHOT ARCHIVES
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http://www.betterphoto.com/snapshots.asp
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Until next week, enjoy shooting!
Thank you,
Jim Miotke
BetterPhoto.com
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