NYC Camera Merchants
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MikePA
Super Moderator
<font color="blue"> No, the time from when you press the shutter until the picture is actually captured. </font>
Now I'm confused. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif On my camera, which is the predecessor to the one you have, I...
1. Press the shutter button half way down to focus the camera. This is indicated by a green dot in the viewfinder as well as beep. This focusing happens very quickly. If it's not quickly enough for me, I pre-focus on the location where I anticipate the action to occur.
2. Press the shutter the rest of the way down to take the picture.
3. The camera writes the image to the storage media.
I don't have my Canon 35 mm auto-focus camera anymore, but I think it had the same sequence of events.
The Casio Exilim digital camera I just sold was a fixed focus digital camera and I did not have to do the first step.
Now I'm confused. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif On my camera, which is the predecessor to the one you have, I...
1. Press the shutter button half way down to focus the camera. This is indicated by a green dot in the viewfinder as well as beep. This focusing happens very quickly. If it's not quickly enough for me, I pre-focus on the location where I anticipate the action to occur.
2. Press the shutter the rest of the way down to take the picture.
3. The camera writes the image to the storage media.
I don't have my Canon 35 mm auto-focus camera anymore, but I think it had the same sequence of events.
The Casio Exilim digital camera I just sold was a fixed focus digital camera and I did not have to do the first step.
Yeah, pressing the shutter halfway speeds things up if my cold finger doesn’t accidentally press it all the way at that time. I am referring to trying to catch our cat looking at the camera when she doesn’t want to, or a very active Weiner Dog running around. If I see an opportunity and just press the shutter all the way down in one operation I have captured a side view of the cat and the back end of the dog leaving the scene. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
You have to realize I am very new at operating this or any digital camera and haven’t learned the tricks. I am used to a manual focus 35mm camera that takes the picture instantly when the shutter is pressed. Any advice from an experienced user of these cameras is appreciated. I assume it is writing to memory when it shows you the short preview of the picture you just took?
You have to realize I am very new at operating this or any digital camera and haven’t learned the tricks. I am used to a manual focus 35mm camera that takes the picture instantly when the shutter is pressed. Any advice from an experienced user of these cameras is appreciated. I assume it is writing to memory when it shows you the short preview of the picture you just took?
MikePA
Super Moderator
<font color="blue">I am referring to trying to catch our cat looking at the camera when she doesn’t want to, or a very active Weiner Dog running around. </font>
This is a tough one, trying to catch an animal 'posing' /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif . That's where I'd use the pre-focus, then follow them around in the view finder, occassionally refocusing if their distance from the camera changes too much. When they strike the right pose, push the shutter the entire way.
<font color="blue"> I assume it is writing to memory when it shows you the short preview of the picture you just took? </font>
My camera has a little red light that flashes when it's writing to the storage media.
This is a tough one, trying to catch an animal 'posing' /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif . That's where I'd use the pre-focus, then follow them around in the view finder, occassionally refocusing if their distance from the camera changes too much. When they strike the right pose, push the shutter the entire way.
<font color="blue"> I assume it is writing to memory when it shows you the short preview of the picture you just took? </font>
My camera has a little red light that flashes when it's writing to the storage media.
Gatorboy
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</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I assume it is writing to memory when it shows you the short preview of the picture you just took? )</font>
Actually, I believe that is independent of the writing. It may have already written it, but still show the preview. Also, I believe there is some memory in your camera that allows you to take a second picture before the first one has completed writing to disk/flash/etc.
The Pre-Focus is one of the most important things you should learn/practice to do. This is what will separate photos to keep vs. photos to delete.
I was at a wrestling tournament last weekend and saw a father taking pictures of his son's match. He was clueless as to the pre-focus technique. He would hold up the camera, depress the shutter button all the way down, and then about 3 seconds later the camera would flash. He was getting so upset for people would be walking in front of the mat within that 3-second window, the move his son was performing already completed, the ref got in the way, etc.
I was going to explain to him how to use pre-focus to take better pictures, but he was so intense during his son's match that I didn't dare want to interrupt him -- so I was going to wait until the match was over. Well, as soon as the match completed, he packed up his stuff and left the bleachers. His son had just been eliminated from the tournament (it was his 2nd loss of the day). My opportunity had left to make his photo taking experience better.
My biggest suggestion when buying a digital camera is to read the manual when you buy it, use the camera for a while, and then go back and RE-READ the manual. You would be surprised how many things you now understand that seemed either unimportant or too complicated during the first read.
Actually, I believe that is independent of the writing. It may have already written it, but still show the preview. Also, I believe there is some memory in your camera that allows you to take a second picture before the first one has completed writing to disk/flash/etc.
The Pre-Focus is one of the most important things you should learn/practice to do. This is what will separate photos to keep vs. photos to delete.
I was at a wrestling tournament last weekend and saw a father taking pictures of his son's match. He was clueless as to the pre-focus technique. He would hold up the camera, depress the shutter button all the way down, and then about 3 seconds later the camera would flash. He was getting so upset for people would be walking in front of the mat within that 3-second window, the move his son was performing already completed, the ref got in the way, etc.
I was going to explain to him how to use pre-focus to take better pictures, but he was so intense during his son's match that I didn't dare want to interrupt him -- so I was going to wait until the match was over. Well, as soon as the match completed, he packed up his stuff and left the bleachers. His son had just been eliminated from the tournament (it was his 2nd loss of the day). My opportunity had left to make his photo taking experience better.
My biggest suggestion when buying a digital camera is to read the manual when you buy it, use the camera for a while, and then go back and RE-READ the manual. You would be surprised how many things you now understand that seemed either unimportant or too complicated during the first read.
TresCrows
Elite Member
It seems to me that all this prefocusing and pre-planing removes all the spontaniety from picture taking. How do you know when you need to prefocus for an upcoming opportunity. Just seems awfully complicated. How do you prefocus for a moving target when you are not sure at what point or place the "picture" might happen?
I am still looking to buy a digital P&S but when I am shooting action, like a recent motorcycle event I shot, I prefocus my manual SLR previewing the depth of field and then preset my exposure shutter speed usually using a handheld light meter. Then when the subject enters the zone, I press the trigger on the motordrive and take a sequence of shots (3.5FPS) or sometimes I follow the subject and when I see what I want I push the trigger, on a manual SLR it is instantaneous or so nearly so it does not matter. I can see that this digital stuff will take some learning and planning I guess. I think real action photography would be impossible with most digicams /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif (most--not all). J
I am still looking to buy a digital P&S but when I am shooting action, like a recent motorcycle event I shot, I prefocus my manual SLR previewing the depth of field and then preset my exposure shutter speed usually using a handheld light meter. Then when the subject enters the zone, I press the trigger on the motordrive and take a sequence of shots (3.5FPS) or sometimes I follow the subject and when I see what I want I push the trigger, on a manual SLR it is instantaneous or so nearly so it does not matter. I can see that this digital stuff will take some learning and planning I guess. I think real action photography would be impossible with most digicams /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif (most--not all). J
Gatorboy
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</font><font color="blue" class="small">( like a recent motorcycle event I shot, I prefocus my manual SLR previewing the depth of field and then preset my exposure shutter speed usually using a handheld light meter...I press the trigger on the motordrive and take a sequence of shots (3.5FPS) )</font>
You could do the very same thing with a digital camera. The Pre-focus I'm referring to is when you want to use the automatic settings. I have a "multi-shot" option on my camera -- so I can take 5 pictures in succession. I can then later choose the best of the bunch.
You could do the very same thing with a digital camera. The Pre-focus I'm referring to is when you want to use the automatic settings. I have a "multi-shot" option on my camera -- so I can take 5 pictures in succession. I can then later choose the best of the bunch.
TresCrows
Elite Member
"How is prefocusing an SLR different from prefocusing a digital camera? '
Well, for one thing I can see the depth of field through the lens when I stop down so that I know what zone is actually in focus. For another, I don't have to hold the shutter button half cocked to maintain a preset focus and exposure. I know that some "better" digital cameras have similar features to those on my Nikons. Do the digicams in question have an internal lightmeter that you can use to set exposure or bracket exposures? For example, how do you know if you are one stop over or under during manual exposure or whatever it is you might be going for. Example, shooting into the sun and overexposing a stop to reduce the back lighting effect on the subject. I am not saying you cannot do it, I just don't understand how you would do it with the majority of digicams I see about. J
Well, for one thing I can see the depth of field through the lens when I stop down so that I know what zone is actually in focus. For another, I don't have to hold the shutter button half cocked to maintain a preset focus and exposure. I know that some "better" digital cameras have similar features to those on my Nikons. Do the digicams in question have an internal lightmeter that you can use to set exposure or bracket exposures? For example, how do you know if you are one stop over or under during manual exposure or whatever it is you might be going for. Example, shooting into the sun and overexposing a stop to reduce the back lighting effect on the subject. I am not saying you cannot do it, I just don't understand how you would do it with the majority of digicams I see about. J
DocHeb
Veteran Member
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Do the digicams in question have an internal lightmeter that you can use to set exposure or bracket exposures? For example, how do you know if you are one stop over or under during manual exposure or whatever it is you might be going for. )</font>
My Olympus C700 has spot exposure (a bracketed zone that is about 1/20th of the screen, that can be used to meter the shot) that would be perfect for backlit situtations. It also has +3.0 to -3.0 "on the fly" exposure adjustment.
As much as I like my digital camera, it is not ideal for action photography, and I wouldn't hold out that it can do all things for all people. However, ever since I bought my Olympus Digital Camera, I haven't used my Minolta SLR-35 mm camera. It just isn't worth the hassle to me.
My Olympus C700 has spot exposure (a bracketed zone that is about 1/20th of the screen, that can be used to meter the shot) that would be perfect for backlit situtations. It also has +3.0 to -3.0 "on the fly" exposure adjustment.
As much as I like my digital camera, it is not ideal for action photography, and I wouldn't hold out that it can do all things for all people. However, ever since I bought my Olympus Digital Camera, I haven't used my Minolta SLR-35 mm camera. It just isn't worth the hassle to me.
