Dreaming To Be A Famous Photographer

[Shiki]

No worries there. If you're on a tight budget for a dslr and willing ka na bumili ng second hand, get either a 400D from Canon or a D40/D40x from Nikon.

 

Don't worry too much pagdating sa body ng camera. Dagdag pogi points lang yun. The beauty is in the lens. A 50mm kahit na f1.8 lang na lens is a must have, especially for portrait photography. One thing that you should note eh yung 50mm ng Nikon won't autofocus on a D40, not sure lnag sa mas bago na D60.

 

Ang current lens setup ko eh Sigma 18-200. While it is very versatile, it's pretty dark... f6.3 @ 200mm will pretty much force you to increase ISO and/or decrease shutter speed which has the effect of either a. making the picture really grainy or b. blurry. Especially at 200mm, mas madali makita ang camera shake.

 

Ang pang counteract ko dito eh yung external flash unit ko. I got a Speedile 580EX II a few months ago. Medyo mahal, but it opened up a whole new world of opprotunities. Not to mention a whole new aspect of photography that I need to learn. Yung on board flash kasi ng camera, pangit ang output. Using the external flash unit that can swivel its head offers you the flexibility of bouncing the light, and given the right setup, ang ganda ng magiging kuha mo

[engronairam]

agree with shiki, if your on a tight budget, 2nd hand market is fine.

 

400D ~ P22K

18-55 IS ~ P6K

430EX ~ P12K

 

so roughly P40k will do

 

sa pipho mas maganda mag hanap ng 2nd hand.

 

 

as with D60, AF lenses will not auto focus on this body, only AF-S.

[Nooblet]

The stork is bringing in for me a Voigtlander Bessa R4A ETA, Next week

[Shiki]

Nice, rangefinder ah. Magkano damage?

[yokoloke]

agree with shiki, if your on a tight budget, 2nd hand market is fine.

 

400D ~ P22K

18-55 IS ~ P6K

430EX ~ P12K

 

so roughly P40k will do

 

sa pipho mas maganda mag hanap ng 2nd hand.

 

 

as with D60, AF lenses will not auto focus on this body, only AF-S.

 

CAMRADE!!! kumusta na? long time no see!!! naligaw lang ako dito...

[xwhiteshadowz]

wow very informative sir shiki..yes i just hope my budget will be complete na din...ill soon have one not just sure when hehe ..at least i have a toy to begin with...its really nice to have pictures that are appreciated by others..and of course..by yourself...sarap ng feeling...whew....

[señor_bugoy]

HI! I am looking to swap my 2 Nikon Lenses (AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IF-ED & Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 55-200mm f/4-5.6G ED) for a Nikon 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6G ED-IF AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor Lens...

 

the 18-55 lens was purchased with my D40 last January, and the 55-200 lens was purchased just last April.

 

anyone interested, please PM me...

[Nooblet]

Nice, rangefinder ah. Magkano damage?

 

1694 SGD

[Nooblet]

finally here...

 

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3202/2765050388_9fa1b9686f.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2107/2765051460_0a414621ea.jpg

[Phrozhen.Khold]

PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS #1: YOUR GEARS

 

Things To Consider Before

Shooting Pictures

 

Before you are able to take the kind of pictures you want to learn to take, it is important to think about the equipment you would like to start out with. Probably the most important decision you will have to make is what kind of camera to buy. There are so many options and companies now that the whole process can seem quite overwhelming.

 

If you are planning to become a serious photographer you should probably buy an SLR (Single Lens Reflex) camera. The term single lens reflex comes from the fact that the camera has a view of the subject through a single lens and that view is reflected to the viewfinder so the photographer can see exactly what is going to be in the picture. The Digital SLR's are getting so advanced that it's very hard to chose a film camera over a digital. The main advantages of an SLR camera over a point-and-shoot digital camera is the fact that you can change lenses and filters whenever you want to. Although new point-and-shoot cameras have increasing optical zoom and similar capabilities. Point-and-shoot cameras are also a great idea if you just want something simple and small that is convenient to carry wherever you go.

 

Lenses are what your camera uses to focus on the world. All lenses are defined by their focal length and aperture. The focal length tells you what the angle of view is and how far it magnifies. The aperture is the amount of light that the camera is letting into the sensor. Any lens lower than 50 mm focal length is considered wide-angle. Any at 50 mm is considered normal. And any lens above 50 mm is considered a telephoto. But there are also zoom lenses that have a variable focal length. With a zoom lens you can cover a wide range such as 28 mm to 105 mm or 80 mm to 210 mm.

 

Lenses can be very expensive and very cheap and it is usually the faster lenses or the ones with the wider apertures that are the highest priced. The faster lenses are more appealing primarily because they can produce better pictures in dim light without a tripod. But it is quite possible to find great lenses at low prices. Probably the first lens you buy should be broad range zoom lens such as a 28 mm to 105 mm. The slight drawback of zoom lenses is that they are slower and they don't quite match the sharpness and contrast of a fixed focal length lens.

 

Another very important item that you should definitely acquire is a ultra-violet filter (UV filter). It is a simple piece of glass that screws on to the end of your lens and protects it from scratches, dust, dirt, moisture and fingerprints while reducing unwanted ultra-violet light.

 

We would also strongly recommend that you buy a tripod of some kind which is vital when there is not enough light to handhold a picture. Some of the best pictures you've seen at dusk, night, or just when its cloudy have almost certainly been taken using a tripod. Tripods allow you to use your camera's full range of shutter speed and aperture combinations which can sometimes creating amazing unexpected results. You should pick a tripod that is plenty sturdy but also convenient enough to carry wherever you might want it. You also might want it tall enough so you can look through your camera at eye level.

 

But when you buy a UV filter you might as well get a polarizer filter as well. A polarizer filter is most commonly used for darkening the sky by cutting through atmospheric haze. This affect can also dramatically improve the results of black and white photography. Polarizer filters are also good for removing reflections from glass or water.

 

 

 

Memory cards are extremely convenient with digital cameras but you need to make sure you have all the space on them that you want. It is always a good feeling to know that you can take all the pictures that you want when you think you have a good opportunity. Most SLR's take Compact Flash memory cards, smaller cameras usually either take Secure Digital memory cards or Sony memory sticks.

 

 

It is convenient to have only one format of memory card if you have multiple cameras because then you can interchange them even between a big SLR and a small point and shoot camera. The smaller cameras usually use secure digital cards and Sony memory sticks but some very nice ones use compact flash cards. One thing you must always do is remember to format the card after you unload pictures and put it back into the camera or else you won't have the full capacity of the card.

[dos8dos]

a spare rechargable battery comes in handy as well

[Phrozhen.Khold]

PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS #2: EXPOSURE

 

Photography Exposure Basics

 

Exposure is the amount of light collected by the sensor in your camera during a single picture. If the shot is exposed too long the photograph will be washed out. If the shot is exposed too short the photograph will appear too dark. Almost all cameras today have light meters which measure the light in the given shot and set an ideal exposure automatically. Most people depend on the light meter which is fine, but if you know how to control your exposures you can get some creative and sometimes better pictures. (The photo on the left is with low shutter speed and narrow aperture (high f/stop).

 

The two primary controls your camera uses for exposure are shutter speed (the amount of time the sensor is exposed to light) and aperture (the size of the lens opening that lets light into the camera). Shutter speeds are measured in seconds and more commonly fractions of a second. (1/2000 of a second is very fast and 8' seconds is extremely slow). Apertures are measured in something called f/stops (a very wide aperture is f/2.8 and a very small aperture is f/19).

 

You might wonder why there is not just a constant shutter speed or a constant aperture so that you would only have to worry about one control. The reason is that even though they both control the amount of light getting to the sensor they also control other aspects of the picture. Shutter speed for example can be used to freeze subjects in midair with a fast speed or it can be used to blur water with a slow speed. Aperture controls the depth-of-field which is what is in focus in the picture. Aperture can be used to draw attention to one subject (like the flower on the right) by blurring the background with a wide aperture (low f/stop). Aperture can also be used to focus everything in a picture with a narrow aperture (high f/stop). (The photo on the left is with Wide aperture (low f/stop) and corresponding shutter speed).

 

On most digital SLR's (Single Lens Reflex) cameras today you can even change the sensitivity of the sensor when collecting light which is called the ISO speed. The common span of ISO speed is 100 to 800. The higher the ISO speed the faster the camera collects light but it also adds more noise to the photograph than the lower speeds. For example if your trying to take pictures in dim light without a tripod you might want to raise the ISO speed in order to get a picture that's not blurry. Most of the time you should keep it at a lower ISO speed if there is enough light, but it makes a big difference when there isn't.

 

 

Low shutter speed and slightly narrow aperture (pretty high f/stop)

 

The best way to learn how to use shutter speed and aperture is to just keep experimenting with them.

[engronairam]

finally here...

 

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3202/2765050388_9fa1b9686f.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2107/2765051460_0a414621ea.jpg

nice cam bro. :thumbsupsmiley: what lens did ou include?

 

im also aiming this one.

 

btw, why is it priced SGD? did you bought it in Singapore?

http://www.chiifcameras.com/content/view/56/74/

Edited August 20, 2008 by engronairam

[engronairam]

CAMRADE!!! kumusta na? long time no see!!! naligaw lang ako dito...

wazup-wazup KAMRADE?! 'di mo na kami binibisita ah.

 

btw, active lagi ung shout box kaya halos walang discussions sa forum at sa SB na lagi nag uusap.

 

maki chat ka naman one time, looking forward to see you ulit dun. :thumbsupsmiley:

[yokoloke]

wazup-wazup KAMRADE?! 'di mo na kami binibisita ah.

 

btw, active lagi ung shout box kaya halos walang discussions sa forum at sa SB na lagi nag uusap.

 

maki chat ka naman one time, looking forward to see you ulit dun. :thumbsupsmiley:

 

oo nga eh...medyo busy lang the past few months...kailangan lang magkayod uli para makaenjoy ng hobby natin!!!

 

oo nga eh...puro nasa SB na lang! anyway will drop by soon!!!

 

ingat bro - ingat sila sa iyo!!! LOL!!!

[reignman]

recently sold my nikon d60

 

now.. am having a hard time getting a replacement camera

 

since i am no pro, even if i could somehow shell out the money, am not that 100% on the nikon d300

 

some say, get the nikon d80, hmmm.. its a 2 year old model, nevertheless, i was able to use one and i liked it. D90 is coming out soon.. should i wait for it?

 

so i ask, i want something better than the d80, a friend said, shift to canon and get the 40D, better than the D80 and not expensive as the D300.

 

your take fellas?

[engronairam]

oo nga eh...medyo busy lang the past few months...kailangan lang magkayod uli para makaenjoy ng hobby natin!!!

 

oo nga eh...puro nasa SB na lang! anyway will drop by soon!!!

 

ingat bro - ingat sila sa iyo!!! LOL!!!

nabangit ko sa kanila na nagkasalubong tayo sa thread, kaso dito sa MTC. :mtc:

 

shoot lng ng shoot. :thumbsupsmiley:

 

osige, intay ka namin.

[engronairam]

recently sold my nikon d60

 

now.. am having a hard time getting a replacement camera

 

since i am no pro, even if i could somehow shell out the money, am not that 100% on the nikon d300

 

some say, get the nikon d80, hmmm.. its a 2 year old model, nevertheless, i was able to use one and i liked it. D90 is coming out soon.. should i wait for it?

 

so i ask, i want something better than the d80, a friend said, shift to canon and get the 40D, better than the D80 and not expensive as the D300.

 

your take fellas?

40D & D80/D90 is pretty much in the same league. if you coudnt wait for D90 and aiming for 40D, go for it. but 40D replacement 50D(?) already has rumors.

 

just 1 tip: your not buying just the camera, your buying a system (availability of accessories). so choose wisely.

[thirteen]

recently sold my nikon d60

 

now.. am having a hard time getting a replacement camera

 

since i am no pro, even if i could somehow shell out the money, am not that 100% on the nikon d300

 

some say, get the nikon d80, hmmm.. its a 2 year old model, nevertheless, i was able to use one and i liked it. D90 is coming out soon.. should i wait for it?

 

so i ask, i want something better than the d80, a friend said, shift to canon and get the 40D, better than the D80 and not expensive as the D300.

 

your take fellas?

 

Best to wait for a few more weeks. Photokina happens in late September, so by then you'll know what new models from all the manufacturers are coming out and when they'll be available. Best bet is that there will be a Nikon D90, Sony A900, and Canon 5DII announcement.

[thirteen]

You're also pretty much assured that as soon as the new models are available, a lot of people will sell their "older" cameras to upgrade. Buyer's market yan! Personally, i'm hoping to score a used 5D this way!

[Nooblet]

nice cam bro. :thumbsupsmiley: what lens did ou include?

 

im also aiming this one.

 

btw, why is it priced SGD? did you bought it in Singapore?

http://www.chiifcameras.com/content/view/56/74/

 

got this from Chiif as well. Payed using PayPal

got a Nokton 35 1.4 M.C. will be getting the color skopar 21 f/4 next week and maybe a zeiss biogon too.

[jojosmojo]

recently sold my nikon d60

 

now.. am having a hard time getting a replacement camera

 

since i am no pro, even if i could somehow shell out the money, am not that 100% on the nikon d300

 

some say, get the nikon d80, hmmm.. its a 2 year old model, nevertheless, i was able to use one and i liked it. D90 is coming out soon.. should i wait for it?

 

so i ask, i want something better than the d80, a friend said, shift to canon and get the 40D, better than the D80 and not expensive as the D300.

 

your take fellas?

i agree with engronairam...it's the system...if you already have the nikon accesories like lenses etc, sayang din yung investment mo...

[reignman]

agree with you guys.

 

narrowed down my choices to D80, D90 and D300.

 

unfortunately for the D90, i might not be able to wait for it that long!

[engronairam]

agree with you guys.

 

narrowed down my choices to D80, D90 and D300.

 

unfortunately for the D90, i might not be able to wait for it that long!

then go get D300, its a nice cam. D700 if you can. :thumbsupsmiley:

[Phrozhen.Khold]

PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS #3 : COMPOSITION

 

Photography: The Rules of Composition

 

Composition is the combining of distinct parts or elements to form a whole. In photography that thought is very important in taking good pictures. The following guidelines are just to be thought about though, it is not necessary to try to use them with every picture you take or there wouldn't be any creativity in your work. Once you learn these rules and strategies you will be more prepared to find great picture spots and opportunities.

 

Before you just step up and take a picture you should consider what you want your viewers to look at and how you should display main points of interest. You should ask yourself, what is the main subject? What angle should the light be hitting in my picture? Is there anything that could accentuate the main subject? Where should the main subject be in the frame? These are all important things you should consider, but that doesn't necessarily mean you need to follow the rules exactly.

 

The Rule of Thirds has been used for centuries and is probably the most important of all the composition techniques. The Rule of Thirds means that the frame can be divided into three horizontal sections and three vertical sections and therefore, where the horizontal and vertical lines intersect makes an ideal location for the more important parts of your picture. By locating your main subject at one of the four intersections you give the subject more emphasis than if it was right smack in the middle of the picture. This is also a good technique if you have more than one important subject, the intersections can still work even if there's a subject on more than one. The divisions can also be helpful in setting up a picture, they can for example, help you determine how much horizon you want. Most famous photographs or paintings in the world today have the rule of thirds applied to them in some way.

 

Simplicity is the method of keeping the information in a photograph relatively simple. If your main subject is close, then your background should be very simple to avoid distractions. You should try to keep everything not important much less interesting than what's important in the frame. Especially avoid lines or objects that lead the eye away from the subject.

 

Framing is the tactic of using natural surroundings to add more meaning to your subject. It could be anything such as bushes, trees, a window, or even a doorway like in the picture at the top of this page. In the process of doing this you need to be careful that you don't only focus on what's framing your subject. Make sure you focus on the main subject, and also it is a good idea to use a narrow aperture (high f/stop) to achieve a high depth-of-field. It also wouldn't hurt if the part of the picture framing the subject was darker so make sure you take your light reading on the main subject.

 

Texture can add a significant amount of interest in any picture. When people see texture in pictures they start imagining what it feels like to touch what's in the picture. Texture is a good idea when your taking pictures of rocks, walls, surfaces, someone's hands, or leaves. In order to make a picture reveal a texture you must make sure the light is coming almost exactly from the side of the surface so it creates shadows in places key places.

 

Leading Lines are used to lure the eye deeper into a picture or to an important subject. Straight, curved, parallel, or diagonal lines are all good at promoting interest. Good examples could be roads, rivers, streams, bridges, branches, or fences but there are endless things that could be used.

 

Colors are what add heart and emotion to your pictures. Certain color configurations can inspire awe and amazement in onlookers. Colors can be used to add all sorts of accents and effects, but you must be careful to not draw attention away from the main subject.

 

 

It might not be a bad idea to keep these key terms with you when you practice taking pictures. The best way to learn and improve your composition is just lots of practice and experimenting