Learn the basics for using a digital camera

1. Tips and Tricks
for
Using the Digital Camera
Stephanie Dixon
sdixon@ebrschools.org
Professional Development Center

2. Graduation Marred by
Day blurry
Memory shots!
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3. Dixon 3

4. On the paper provided, fill in the following about
your personal camera:
 Manufacturer
 Model
 Type: point and shoot; advanced/super zoom; or SLR
 Megapixels
 Optical Zoom
 Type of batteries required/rechargeable?
 Type of memory card required
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5. Point and Shoot Advanced Point and Shoot Single Lens Reflex
(SLR)
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX5 Canon Powershot SX30 IS
Nikon D3100
Kodak Easy Share M580
Olympus SZ-30MR
Pentax K-5
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6. Zoom in and out
Modes
Shutter Release Button
Review pictures button
Enter and Toggle up-down/right-left
Delete pictures
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7. Used to save or store
SD Cards images in a camera. Memory Stick
A camera’s internal
memory cannot hold
very many images.
xD Cards
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8. Pixel- small squares or units of digital
information with a color value.
Pixel size depends on resolution of an image
The more pixels, the higher the
resolution!
An image with 250 pixel would have larger pixels and an image
with 500 pixels would have smaller pixels. Images with less
pixels can become blurry and grainy when enlarged
Mega Pixel (MP) = 1 million pixels
Most cameras today have MP of at least 7 and higher
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9. Shutter Aperture
Manual Program
Macro
Landscape
Sports
Portrait Night
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10. Auto- camera decides on optimal settings.
Portrait- for single subjects; keeps
background out of focus.
Macro- allows user to move closer to
subject. Used for flowers, insects, and
small objects.
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11. Landscape- used for wide scenes and
larger depth of field. Use of a tripod is
recommended.
Night- used for low light situations; longer
shutter speed. Use of a tripod is
recommended.
Sports- used for moving objects; increases
shutter speed.
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12. Aperture (Av) Priority- User determines
aperture and ISO. Camera determines
shutter speed.
Shutter (Tv) Priority- User determines
shutter speed and ISO. Camera determines
aperture.
Manual Exposure- User determines
aperture, ISO, and shutter speed.
Program- Camera determines aperture
and shutter speed. User can choose ISO
and Flash in some cameras. Dixon 12

13. Optical Zoom Digital Zoom
Lenses extend to magnify Crops image and
your subject magnifies the result of
cropping
Not very useful
W- Wide Angle (Reduce) Disable on your camera
T- Telephoto (magnify)
3x - 35x on digital cameras Can use software to
3x - 4x typical zoom in accomplish the same
cameras today goals
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14. The measure of a digital camera sensor’s sensitivity to light. Use
lower ISO when there is plenty of light and working with still
subjects. Use higher ISO for indoor sports, moving subjects, and low
light environments.
ISO
Aperture Shutter Speed
The size of the opening in the lens when The amount of time the shutter is
a picture is taken. The larger the open. Measured in fractions of
hole, the more light comes in, the seconds and seconds. 1/250 is faster
smaller the hole, the less light. than 1/60.
Measured in f-stops.
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15. Hold down the
shutter release
button halfway and
allow the camera to
“lock” focus and
exposure. Some
cameras will outline
the subject in green
when it is fully
focused.
You try it! Then press the shutter release
button down all the way to
capture the image.
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16. • No focal point
• Bad focal point
• Empty skies
• Tilted horizons
• Bad backgrounds/Busy backgrounds
• Things growing from people’s heads
• Cutting off subject’s legs and arms
• Direct flash in people’s faces
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17. Camera Shake Misfocus
Part or parts of the image are blurred.
Entire image is blurred. Fix this problem
This fix problem by pressing halfway on
by steadying the camera better or by
the shutter release button and waiting
using a tripod with a timer (in
until the camera locks in on the
applicable situations). Can also use a
subject. Then press the button fully.
faster shutter speed.
Can also use a faster shutter speed.
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18. The four main causes of
blurry photos are:
1. Out of focus
2. The subject moves
while the shutter is
open
3. The camera moves
while the shutter is Downtown Disney
open T-Rex Exhibit
31.3mm Focal Length
4. Depth of field is too Aperture F/3.2
shallow Flash Used
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19. Focal Length 8.4mm
Aperture F/4.3
Flash Used
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20. Try:
Turning on the flash
Changing to a
higher ISO
Increasing the
shutter speed
7.54mm Focal Length
f/2.8 Aperture
Flash Used
http://www.digital-photo-secrets.com/tip/129/the-top-4-causes-of-blurry-photos-and-how-to-fix-
them/ Dixon 20

21. Overexposed
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22. To view the histograms of
photos on your camera:
1. Change to review
mode.
2. Press the display
button.
Each camera is different
so read the manual to see
how your camera works.
http://www.photoanswers.co.uk/Advice/Search-Results/Photopedia/Histogram-/
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23. • Finding fresh angles
• Getting horizons horizontal
• Working the lines in your photo
• Getting images straight
• Fill your frame/frame your shots
• The importance of focal points
• Creating active space- photographing moving
subjects
Finally, The Rule of Thirds
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24. Working the lines in your photo
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25. What’s the
difference
between the two
photos?
Optical zoom used
Macro setting
used
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26. What’s the difference between the two photos?
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27. Finding fresh Angles
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28. The importance of
focal points
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29. The Rule of Thirds
Break an image into thirds horizontally and
vertically creating nine equal sections.
Place points of interest in the intersections. This creates a
more balanced and interesting photo.
Read more: http://www.digital-photography-school.com/rule-of-thirds#ixzz1NaBUDSqU
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30. Focal points
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31. Working with your partner, take five photos:
– A close range and a distant shot of one object
inside the building. Use different modes.
– A shot of the exterior front of the building
– A shot of a plant or tree
– A shot of the sky
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32. USB Port
USB Cable
Connect your camera to the computer
using the USB cable. Plug the small end of
the cable into the camera and the larger
USB into a USB port on the computer.
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33. • Create a folder on the desktop. Copy the
images to the folder.
• Use Microsoft Photo Editor or Microsoft
PowerPoint to make changes such as:
– Cropping
– Adding a border or effect
– Re-coloring
– Brightening
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34. Joint Photographic Expert Group (JPEG)
for photographs, natural scenes, portraits. Standard
format for web images.
Graphic Image File (GIF)
for line drawings or simple cartoon drawings. Also a
standard for web images.
Tagged Image File Format (TIFF)
for archiving image files.
RAW
uncompressed, unchanged image file.
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35. The bottom line is…
Low compression = better quality image
Solution
Copy original images, then compress for
emailing and for use on web. Use
original, uncompressed images for printing.
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36. Find out as much as you can
about your camera and its
functions.
Practice taking pictures often
and critique them.
Don’t be afraid to
experiment with the
settings on your camera.
Upload your pictures to your
computer and organize them
for editing and use.
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37. • http://www.kodak.com
• http://www.nikon.com
• http://www.canon.com
• http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials.htm
• http://www.digital-photography-school.com/
• http://www.photoanswers.co.uk/Advice/Search-
Results/Photopedia/Histogram-
• http://www.digital-photo-
secrets.com/tip/129/the-top-4-causes-of-blurry-
photos-and-how-to-fix-them/
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38. sdixon@ebrschools.org
Course presentation can be found on:
http://tinyurl.com/ebrpsspd