Proper play with new camera!!

Originally Posted by tactcom7

Nice pics MBK

Ed, see the mini suns on the 1st and 3rd pics (amongst others but mroe obvious in those two), all in a line and going across the picture? That's lens flare, basically it's light reflecting off of each of the lens' elements (or internal lenses).

HTH

Si.

Yes it does help Si, thanks for the explanation. I hadn't even noticed them.

You are all way too fussy

Originally Posted by keith_d

Personally, I'm not keen on lens flare and try to minimise it where possible.

There are two types of flare, one is the coloured blobs when the sun is in the frame, or just out of view. These are typically the shape of the lens iris and are fairly common when shooting into the sun.

The other more subtle kind of flare is where sunlight is shining on the front of a lens and being scattered inside so that all of the image gets a little more light. This means the black parts of the image are less black and contrast gets reduced.

To minimise flare I try to keep the sun out of the frame either by framing my shot differently or hiding it behind a tree. If you have a lens hood, this helps to keep the sun from shining on the lens, but sometimes you might want to use your hand as well.

A good way to test this for yourself is to put your camera on a tripod facing a dark subject like conifers, so that the sun is just out of the frame. Make small adjustments and look at where the flare is visible.

What he said!

A cool thing you can try to do is partially hide the sun (half should do it) behind a thicker branch and use smaller apertures (big numbers, like f/16 to f/22), and use some negative exposure compensation, like -1 stop or more. That should give you some nice pointy sunstars instead of a big wash of white nothingness. Do be careful when trying this, you don't want to be looking at the sun through a lens focused close to infinity...

Originally Posted by Filipe M.

What he said!

A cool thing you can try to do is partially hide the sun (half should do it) behind a thicker branch and use smaller apertures (big numbers, like f/16 to f/22), and use some negative exposure compensation, like -1 stop or more. That should give you some nice pointy sunstars instead of a big wash of white nothingness. Do be careful when trying this, you don't want to be looking at the sun through a lens focused close to infinity...

Filipe...can you say that again in MBK speak? Thank you please!

Originally Posted by Milky Bar Kid

... MBK speak? Thank you please!

Point and press

Originally Posted by Milky Bar Kid

Filipe...can you say that again in MBK speak? Thank you please!

Sorry, only just seen this!

Right, let's take this in steps. See the funny looking round dial at the top of the camera, the one that's set on AUTO? Rotate it carefully to the P position (P doesn't mean Perfect, nor Professional, btw it just means Program).

Now what this means is the camera will still make pretty much all of the exposure decisions for you so you can concentrate on composition and other not-so-important stuff , but you can override it in case you don't like what the camera is giving you back (full auto means camera is in command and if you don't like the results it doesn't give a damn).

And why would you want to override it? Because the camera doesn't know what you're shooting. The current Nikon cameras have a very good guess (mainly through light - and colour* - pattern information comparison with a built-in database), but it's still only a guess that was programmed in by some asian guy sitting in a cubicle somewhere.

So back to photography. You're standing in the middle of the woods, you see a pattern that looks like cobwebs, you have the camera on Auto, aim it there, carefully compose your shot and press the shutter. Camera returns a nice picture, but with a big expanse of white sky burning a whole through your picture, your colours have gone home for winter and there isn't a lot more than that. Mmmm not exactly what you had in mind. Maybe if the picture was a little bit darker? Right, time to override the meter. Set the camera on P mode, frame your shot just like the other one, but this time press the button behind the shutter with a +/- on it and keep it pressed while you rotate the rear command dial (the one that sits under your thumb) so that it shows, say, -1.0 (that'll be 3 clicks for you). Shoot again. And maybe the picture will begin to show more of what you say in the first place, with more defined contours, a bit more colour, and deeper shadows. Congratulations, you've just told the japanese guy in the cubicle you know better!

Of course after you do this don't forget to return your exposure compensation to 0, or you'll get funny results for the rest of the day. This is something that needs to be set on a per picture basis. Some will need more, some will need less, some on the plus side, some on the minus.

Play with it in different scenarios and see what works for you. And ask if you need more guidance.


* have that, Canon! Yes, Canon cameras still meter in black and white

Always gotta get a dig in at the Canon!!!

Thanks Filipe...I shall have a play and see how I get on...PS...anna told me to put it on auto...

Cat. Pigeons. Love it!

[anna]

Originally Posted by Milky Bar Kid

Always gotta get a dig in at the Canon!!!

Thanks Filipe...I shall have a play and see how I get on...PS...anna told me to put it on auto...

Cat. Pigeons. Love it!

I wont give you any more advice then. Nope. Nada. Zip

Anna, please don't tell lies on my thread.

Anyway, you and Filipe are awesome for being patient with me!

Originally Posted by Milky Bar Kid

Always gotta get a dig in at the Canon!!!

Thanks Filipe...I shall have a play and see how I get on...PS...anna told me to put it on auto...

Cat. Pigeons. Love it!

She was right, as you didn't really know what else to do with it, but maybe it's time to start thinking about taking the camera out of first gear and get out of the parking lot

Originally Posted by Filipe M.

She was right, as you didn't really know what else to do with it, but maybe it's time to start thinking about taking the camera out of first gear and get out of the parking lot

And stall at the first junction...lol!