Class Lecture on Camera Care (Basic Photography)

1. First Aid and Camera Health
Basic Photography
MC310
Ateneo de Davao University

2. Overview
§ Setting your camera
§ Film Speed
§ Camera Health and First
Aid

3. Setting Your Camera
§ Install strap;
§ Install the battery and SD
Card; turn on the power
switch; check battery level.
§ Set Date, Time, and Time
Zone;
§ Remove the lens caps, set
lens to Auto-Focus (AF);
§ Adjust the Viewfinder
clarity, use diopter
adjustment knob;
§ Set Dial Mode to Manual
(M)

4. Film Speed
Sensitivity of film or
signal gain of the digital
sensor to light
§ DIN (Deutsches Institut
für Normung), 1934
§ ASA (American
Standard Association),
1943, now named ANSI
§ ASA and DIN
combined, now called
ISO (International
Standard Organization)

5. Slow Speed or Fast Speed
§ Insensitive film (slow
film/ low ISO)
requires more
exposure to light.
§ Sensitive film (fast
film/ high ISO)
requires less light, but
reduced image quality.

6. Film Sensitivity
ISO/ASA 50
ISO/ASA 200
ISO/ASA 100
ISO/ASA 400

7. Film Speed

8. Film Speed

9. How to Set ISO Speed
ISO Speed
Shooting
Situation
100-400
Sunny Outdoors
400-1600
Overcast Skies or
evening time
1600-128000 Dark Indoors or
H
night
§ Press the ISO button
§ Or go to Menu, select
ISO
§ Select the desired Film
Speed or ISO speed
§ Note: High ISO speeds
will result in grainier
images

10. Camera Bag
§ Keep your camera
equipment in a proper
camera bag
§ Padded compartments
§ Able to see in a glance
all needed equipment

11. Lens Care
§ Screw a filter in front
of the camera (skylight
or 1A filter)
§ Can be permanently
attached to the lens
§ Protects the lens from
marks, dust, UV rays,
grime

12. Lens Care
§ Attach hood and lens
cap to the lens
§ Protects the lens from
direct sunlight and
unnecessary
reflections

13. Lens Care
§ Photo blower brush
§ Use disposable lens
tissue or lends 3M
cloth to remove finger
marks, dust and
grease.
§ Use lens cleaning
fluids to remove
stubborn marks

14. Loading Your Camera
§ Gently turn to rewind
knob or crank it until you
feel the film pull snug.
§ If it rewinds freely, then
the film becomes loose
from take-up spool.
Reengage the film to snug
the it tight.
§ Watch out for errors: film
slipping the sprocket, torn
film holes

15. Removing Film from Camera
§ Once the film won’t advance while
you cock the shutter, don’t force
the shutter or you’ll strip the
sprocket holes.
§ Release the clutch before
rewinding. Clutch is a little cute
button on the base of camera body
(see your manual).
§ Rewind the film fully.
§ Accidental opening of camera
back before rewinding.

16. Health and First Aid
§ Do not drop your
camera. Use always the
camera strap and have it
around your neck when
you’re shooting.
§ Even cameras on tripod,
hang onto the strap, as
tripods often fall over.
§ Always put the camera
on a bag when not in
use.

17. Camera Care
§ Avoid extreme
temperatures.
§ Use packet silica in
your bags to
minimize moisture.
§ Do not eat the
desiccant.

18. Camera Care
§ Worst enemy of
camera: sand, sea
and rain.
§ Always bring
plastic bags with
rubber band

19. Storage Advice
§ Long Term
Storage: seal in
dust-proof bag,
remove batteries,
shutter is not
cocked so that its
spring will not
suffer metal fatigue.

20. Health and First Aid
§ Always put the body cap
back on your camera,
and put both the front
and rear lens cap on the
lens if you don't leave
the lens on the camera.
§ If your lens comes with
a lens hood, use it. It'll
help protect the glass
from getting bumped/
scratched.

21. Health and First Aid
§ Be careful around water.
§ don't disassemble the camera or
open the memory card door when
you’re in the rain.
§ If you're out in heavy rain, get
something to cover the body of the
camera (a freezer ziploc bag is
great). The end of the lens can
stick out fine, it's the electronics
you want to protect.
§ Keep the camera and lenses clean
and dry. Rain, condensation, salt
spray, dirt and dust are bad for
both sensor and lenses.

22. Health and First Aid
§ Treat the camera with
respect -- don't toss it
around, keep it in a
protective case.
§ Make sure that anyone that
uses it will treat it the same
way you would.