Remember the good old photography days?Film camera in hand, you would see that perfect landscape, seascape or sunset and shoot off several shots.Perhaps a couple of weeks later, once you had returned home and finally finished that 24 or 36 exposure film, it was off to the photo-lab to get the film processed.You eagerly open the packet of photographs, looking for that superb seascape you took, knowing that it would almost certainly be taken up by National Geographic for their monthly magazine spread.What do you find?A not too bad photo, but the seascape horizon is crooked, here’s your excuse, I hear you say.. "Well when I took the shot I was standing on the side of a sand dune and quickly trying to get that perfect shot while the little sailboat was still in view".Does this sound familiar to all you budding Adam Ansels and/or Lord Snowdons?The photo is relegated back to the packet never again to see the light of day.I had many of those packets of not so perfect photos until the digital photography age arrived.The Digital Darkroom has arrivedThe advent of the digital camera and in fact, before that, computerized image manipulation software such as Adobe Photoshop has completely revolutionized the way we can now resurrect a stunning image from what at face value might have appeared to be just one of those snapshots to be relegated to the shoebox under the stairs.What I’m going to show you in this article is just one method of taking a mundane snapshot and producing a great shot in as little as five minutes.The example I’m going to use, is one that I have seen so many times, and have already mentioned above, namely, shots that have crooked horizons, whether this be a landscape, seascape, sunset or whatever.The source of the image may have come from a scanned negative, scanned print or digital camera image all converted to an image format (most probably .JPG pronounced "jaypeg") that can be opened in your image manipulation software.Correcting a crooked horizonThe human eye is remarkably perceptive at picking out features in a photograph that are made up of essentially straight lines and that those lines are not parallel, either horizontally or vertically, with the overall print itself.These straight lines may well be the horizon, but they may also be an object in your photo that has straight lines such as buildings or walls etc ..I will be using Adobe Photoshop CS, but almost all other image manipulation software packages have similar tools so the method described should be repeatable with your own software package.The method used will employ a little known relationship between two Photoshop functions, the Measure tool and the Rotate Canvas command.Step ‘ 1Open up your image in your image editor (in our case Photoshop) and select the Measure tool which if not visible on the Photoshop toolbar can be found by hovering your mouse over the Eyedropper tool and "left clicking". Watch the other options window "fly-out" and select the Measure tool.Step ‘ 2Interestingly enough, we are not actually going to measure anything in the real sense of the word, nor use the Measure tool as it is usually used (i.e. measuring the distance between two points within the photograph).With the Measure tool active, "left click" and "hold" on a spot on the left hand side of the photo (remember our example is a seascape) where the horizon meets the sea.While still "holding down" the left mouse button, drag to the right hand side of the photo and find a corresponding point where the horizon meets the sea and then release the mouse button.What happened? .. Well you will see that a white line has been drawn on top of the photo with what looks like little "+" anchors at each end. The line is parallel with our crooked horizon.Step ‘ 3Now the marvel begins!! Select the Image->Rotate Canvas->Arbitrary ‘ command and the Rotate Canvas pop-up window will appear.What you will notice (in the case of Photoshop anyway) is that it has "pre-filled" the pop-up rotate options with the exact rotation information to correct the crooked horizon, 1.5 degrees counter-clockwise in our example on our web-site. Click OK and see what happens ..The photo has been magically rotated the right amount to correct the crooked horizon!Step ‘ 4All that is required now is to do a tight "crop" on the overall photograph and save it.And there you have it!!Less than five minutes of digital image manipulation to take that mundane snapshot into a photograph that is very pleasing to the eye.If you find the steps taking are a little hard to understand in this text based article, you can click on the link at the end of this article to see the same method explained on our website with the aid of example graphical images.You can see this correction method complete with example images at Correcting Crooked Horizons in PhotosFeel free to re-print this article provided that all hyperlinks and author biography are retained as-is.

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Digital Single Lens Reflex (SLR) cameras are excellent cameras that produce clearer, sharper and more colourful images than most point and shoot digital cameras available. With prices falling rapidly, they are now more affordable then ever. With the price gap between an entry model digital SLR camera and the most expensive compact digital camera narrowing; the question is� do I spend the extra money and get a Digital SLR camera? or save a few hundred dollars and purchase the best digital compact camera.

Well, it really depends on your budget; however if you do spend the extra money, here’s what you get:

In addition to the price falls in the Digital SLR models, the performance on these cameras has increased year on year with the latest Digital SLR cameras being quicker and faster than ever before. They have improved to such an extent that power up or start-up time is near instantaneous with virtually no lag time. “Lag time is the time between you pressing the shutter release button and the camera actually taking the shot”. This delay can vary quite a bit between different camera models and it is one of the biggest drawbacks compared to a compact digital camera. The latest digital SLR cameras have virtually no lag times and react in the same way as conventional film cameras, even in burst mode. Compact digital cameras are catching up; however the difference is still significant. A lag time of ~0.5 seconds can result in you missing the heartbeat of the moment and hence that potential great picture.

Digital SLR camera also has a larger sensor versus a smaller sensor in a compact digital camera. This equates to higher sensitivity and less noise and results in the camera taking clearer pictures in low light. (They also have better autofocus speed in low light as well). A measure of sensitivity in a digital camera is ISO and a typical ISO range for a Digital SLR camera varies from ISO 100 � 1600 with the latter being more sensitive. The ISO range for a compact digital camera varies from ISO 50 � 400. In summary, the higher the ISO rating, the greater the sensitivity and the better the photo can be taken in low light.

The Digital SLR cameras have a much longer battery life due to the limited use of the LCD screen. Please note, that as the LCD screen is only used for viewing the image, the battery life of a digital SLR can allow up to 2000 shots per charge in some cameras compared to 500 for a good point and shoot digital camera.

Digital SLR cameras also allow you to interchange lens such as adding a zoom or macro lens when required.
On the negative side of a Digital SLR camera; They are usually larger and heavier than compact digital cameras, the image cannot be previewed on the LCD screen prior taking the picture. If you really require the image to be viewed on the LCD prior to taking the picture, there are third party manufacturers that produce LCD screens that attaches to the viewfinder and allow the scene to be view just like a compact digital camera. The other drawback is the inability to take videos and finally, lenses are expensive with the majority costing more than the camera itself.

Although compact digital cameras cannot compete on features with a Digital SLR camera, they are great value, have the ability to take videos and are portable. If you have decided to purchase a Digital SLR camera I recommend you find further information using this great niche website http://www.infodigitalcamera.com for additional information on Digital SLR camera. If you are still undecided, purchase both.

If you want to capture scenes that are too fast for the naked eye, then you will need to know more about high speed photography, since this is the aspect in this kind of endeavour that deals with it. If you are still at the starting point of your career in taking high speed pictures, there are certain things that you need to know first, so that you will be able to do it at the right path.


When it comes to taking photographs at a higher speed than normal, you probably want to take pictures in sports, industrial applications, as well as scientific applications. This is because there are certain scenes in these types of activities that will not be seen by the naked eye. Therefore, by taking scenes in them, you will be able to properly document what actions transpired in a certain moment.


One example where you can apply your skills in this type of photography is by capturing the images of a bullet, just before, or while it is hitting a certain object. Aside from that, high speed photographs can also be used to capture scenes which will determine who the real winner is in a 100-metre dash.


These images can only be captured with the use of a high speed digital camera such as the Casio EX-FH100 10.1MP or the Casio Exilim EX-ZR100.. These types of digital cameras are equipped with a feature, which will allow you to capture a number of scenes with just one click. In other words, since the camera takes the pictures in a very high level of speed, one hit on the button would already get you a certain number of scenes, which will show you different but related images. The digital camera will also need to have good shutter speed and frame rate when it comes to this, so that it will be able to capture the images that you want.


These types of cameras may be a bit more expensive than the regular kinds. However, there are lots of companies that have manufactured digital cameras for high speed photography today. In other words, with more products to choose from, and the competition getting higher and higher, you will eventually find a high speed digital camera that you can afford. Aside from acquiring a high speed digital camera, make sure to research about the techniques in this kind of photography as well, so that you will be able to succeed in this type of career that you have chosen.

If you have just begun taking pictures for people you know for a fee, you probably want to gain more customers by making sure that your current clients are very satisfied with the kind of service that you provide to them. One of the things that you can learn more about is candid photography, if you want to add more flavor to the photographs that you will provide to your clients.


Candid photographs are very interesting, since they are not planned and they will show how people really looked like. By knowing things on how to properly take spontaneous photos, you will make your customers happier with the photographs that you hand over to them, since candid photos will truly capture moments that are worth remembering.


Whether you are involved with photography for business purposes or not though, you can always take candid photographs anytime you want, and there are certain things about it that you need to take note of, in order to maximize your skills in it.

First of all, it is always best to have your digital camera with you at all times, even when you are not on your way to take photos of a special event. If you have a good quality digital camera that is smallish in size, then that would be the best type of camera to bring with you anywhere you go.

Doing this would give you more opportunity to capture certain moments that were unplanned. Aside from that, you can also have your friends and members of your family get used to seeing you carrying your camera around. With that, they won’t be surprised if you are suddenly going to take candid pictures of them. In addition, it will also help in capturing images of people when they are acting as natural as possible.


Whether you trying to capture candid photos in a special event or not, it is best not to use the flash. This is because using it can distract your subjects, and it will not provide you that perfect shot in capturing the moment.

Take note of these things about candid photography, so that you will soon be able to picture unplanned images, and impress people by showing them images that they never have thought of capturing.

Printing your shots into paper is the next important thing in digital photography. And the best photo shot will not be given justice if you have not used the proper printing equipments for it. To be able to do justice to the photos that you took digitally, a good printer will really make the prints come to life.

The existence of various types of digital camera paved the way for different types of printers to be developed. Manufacturers know that printing photos is way different from printing plain prints. That is why they are always coming up with printing abilities that would suit digital photo prints well.

Nowadays, there are a lot of ways to have digital photography printed. Each printing methods and techniques have their own advantages and disadvantages. It is best to know what these things so that you will know what to have and what to avoid when having your photos printed.

Here are some digital photography printing choices:

1. Photo store.

The old style of bringing your film to a photo store for developing is still practiced today. The only difference is that films are not anymore used. You just need to bring with you your digital camera and the photo shop will print your photos for you.

An advantage in using photo stores is that they are complete with highly advanced machines you might not have at home. In addition, they know a lot of tips and tricks to make your photos appear its best. Plus, the photo store has the capability to edit your photos if you feel that it does not suit your taste. You only have to give the specific instructions and they will do the rest.

The disadvantage with using photo stores is the waiting period. Even if it does not take as long as it does with films, you still need to wait sometime before your photos are printed. Another disadvantage is that the printing machine they are using may not be the type that you want your photos printed on. So it is better to be very clear about the printing equipment that you want them to use so that this problem will be prevented.

2. Home printer.

This is fast becoming one of the most popular methods of printing digital photos. More and more people are getting their own printers installed at home so that they can print their photos anytime they feel like it.

This way, you can edit your own photos and compile them in your own private collection before you start printing them out. You only have to make sure that you have the proper printer for your digital photos if you want them to turn out the way you expect them to be.

With home printers, you do not have to wait in line for your photos to be printed. All that is needed is for your camera to be plugged in directly to your computer. From there, you can print the photos in no time.

The only drawback in home printers is that you have no other choice of printing process to use. The printed copies will depend on the kind of printing that you use.

With digital photography printing, you definitely have a choice. Just choose the one that you think will give you the perfect photo with minimal hassles and headaches.

It is often the simple things that spoil an image. Using simple techniques and a little care, you can easily give you images the attention that will do them justice. The materials used in printing your images play an important factor in the quality of the finished print.

Printer: When buying a printer think about the materials that you’ll be using. If your are going to be printing your images in large format buy a printer that can handle rolls of photographic paper. These printers are usually more expensive, but great savings can be made when buying paper.

Paper: Photographic paper comes in many different sizes and textures. It doesn’t do any harm to test a few different papers from different manufacturers to see which one suits your needs.

Ink: When buying inks for your printer I would strongly recommend that you buy from your printer’s manufactures. Third party inks will give you great savings but may not be suited for your printer.

When buying a printer, photographic paper or inks, it is advisable to plan well in advance. If you are only going to print a small amount of images it may be better using your local photo lab. If you’re planning to sell a large amount of images, your own printer will be very valuable. Having your own printer will ensure that you can process orders immediately after getting them.

In today’s world, offering a speedy delivery can be the difference in making a sale. Using a third party to print your images may take a week or more before you’ll get your images back. This will not be good for your business.

Presentation.

When you are happy with the quality of your printer you now need to consider presentation. Placing an image in to a cheap frame will not do anything for your prints. Presentation is all about giving your images the impact they truly deserve. Before you print your images start thinking about presentation.

It is often very effective to add a white border in Photoshop before printing. If you decide against Photoshop I would recommend that you mount your image before framing.

When finished printing match your prints to your computer screen. If you think you have a problem with your final print you may need to calibrate your computer. This is a common problem with a lot of people printing at home. Most advance photographic software comes with a basic calibration program, which can be simply used in improving results.

Printing Tips:

Before you print your images do a final check to make sure colours are perfect and that there are no marks on your image.
Make sure that you have the right quality settings on your printer.
Always use the best printing options available on your printer.
If you are using heavyweight paper - load the paper one sheet at a time. This will avoid clogging.
Once you are happy with your printing, allow your prints to rest for 24 hours, place a sheet of plain paper between each print when storing your images.

Other printing tips: Most ink and paper companies claim that their product dry instantly - this means that they are dry to touch. If you print you own images there are a few important points to follow before framing.

1 - allow your prints to rest for 15 minutes after printing.

2 - after 15 minutes place a sheet of white paper over the print - use standard paper - don’t use photographic paper. The paper acts as a sponge absorbing the outgoing gases from the printing process. Allow this process to continue for twenty-four hours.

3 - if the plain paper is crimped once removed, repeat the process for another twenty-four hours. If not, your image is ready for framing.

Family portraits are an important part of our heritage. They preserve history. They record family growth. They document changing styles (some good, some not-so-good!). More than that, however, portraits seem to call to us and will garner our attention almost immediately when we enter a room. These, among many other reasons, are why family portraits continue to be so popular. It’s also why portraiture is one of the most popular areas of study at photography schools.

While almost all get looked at, only a few spark the phrase, “That’s a good picture!” Why is it that since most photographers go through photography school, only some family portraits gain compliments while others seem ordinary? The posing strategies and selections of photographers play a big role. Photographers tend to get into ruts taking the same styles of portraits over and over. When you feel this happening to you, it’s time to shake things up with new ideas about posing families.

Natural Sittings (and Settings) Are Popular

First and foremost, keep things light. The days of stiff family portraits where everybody is in exactly the same pose are over! Today, more natural-looking poses (even “formal” portraits) are what give that noteworthy appearance.

Let the family members be themselves. Keep your eye behind the lens, always looking for an opportune shot as family members interact with each other. You’ll also want to encourage natural laughter and smiles rather than forced “cheese” smiles.

Creative Family Poses

Get creative! Use your imagination and a host of props or natural settings to capture moments that are truly unique. For young families, consider placing baby in a bassinet with siblings and parents looking at baby, not at the camera. Perhaps toddlers could play at the edges of brooks or streams with mom and dad.

Other memorable (not to mention adorable) shots could include toddlers chasing bubbles or butterflies and toddlers playing with puppies, bunnies or other small (but tame) pets.

For families with older children, head outside! Fabulous portraits can be created with the family standing behind a fence (smaller kids sitting on the fence). Try a portrait of all silhouettes or of the family gathered on the front porch sipping lemonade. Families can even lounge at the edges of ponds or brooks for creative shots.

Move!

While there’s a place to use your tripod, it may not be during a family portrait shoot. If you feel your posing is getting stale, toss the tripod and try alternate angles. Shoot from above or to the side or experiment with lighting. If the family isn’t sure of exactly what they want, offer to take a variety of portraits and let them choose the style they like best once they see the results.

When you break down the barriers that squelch your creativity, you free yourself to produce your best work yet. You’ll enjoy the sessions more, and your clients will be thrilled with the results!

S3 AND S5 - TWO GENERATIONS OF ULTA-ZOOM CAMERAS BY CANON

In common practice, the comparative test aims at distinguishing the advantages of one producer over another within one and the same price category and functional group. That is why models by different producers representing the same section of the market are taken for observation. Canon cameras are usually compared with their group-mates from Panasonic, Sony or Nikon. But we at DigiCamFriends.com ( http://www.DigiCamFriends.com ) have agreed to take another way and get to know what obvious innovations may be found in the Canon PowerShot S5 IS (hereafter, Canon S5) in comparison with the Canon PowerShot S3 IS (hereafter, Canon S3) that used to be extremely popular.

Let’s imagine we know nothing about new features developed by Canon for the new model S5 that appeared after the Canon S3…

PHYSICAL VIEW

Canon models of S - series, being different from another Canon PowerShot “subclass” (that is models of A-series), are characterized as “amateurish” but with some skills of “professional”. This is for report or art-report shooting, but not for the motionless photos, something like “a tree and me” type. From this point of view both models have a very handy design.

In fact physical view of the camera has not been changed, except first- the enlarging of the movable screen from 2 to 2.5 inches and second- the replacement of one of the control buttons. And while the latter novelty hardly seems to be pleasant, the first one fits quite natural- it’s become more convenient to take photos with a larger screen.

Pic.1: Canon PowerShot S3 IS and PowerShot S5 IS; front.

Pic.2: Canon PowerShot S3 IS and PowerShot S5 IS; rear.

Pic.3: Canon PowerShot S3 IS and PowerShot S5 IS; movable screens.

OPTICS

The cameras have the same lens construction type with identical settings (the market interpretation of the term construction - the quantity of the optical elements and it’s groups). Unfortunately, there was no information found on the manufacturer’s Web-site mentioning that these lenses are identical; so I won’t insist on theoretical view point, but make a display with some photo examples.

Example 1 : Shots with max. depth of field (the aperture priority mode, the shutter is closed down; Flash is on; ISO80 sensitivity; the white balance - “Flash”). The distance between the objects is about 15-25 cm. Auto focus on the handle of the cup. On the left is a shot taken by the Canon S3, on the right, by the Canon S5.

Example 2 : Shots with min. depth of field (the aperture priority mode, the shutter is absolutely open; Flash is on; ISO80 sensitivity; the white balance - “Flash”). The distance between the objects- about 15-25 cm. Auto focus on the handle of the cup. On the left is a shot taken by the Canon S3, on the right, by the Canon S5.

These cameras are recognized among the majority of digital cameras for equally good color reproduction and quick focusing on the objects, even if they are trying to escape from your camera.

Example 3: Focus on objects moving to and fro with 12x optical zoom in. On the left, a shot taken by the Canon S3, on the right, by the Canon S5.

It doesn’t make much sense if we start making a display of numerous examples of similarities between these cameras. We’ll stop making trivial comparisons of their features and proceed to noting peculiar and individual characteristics discovered during the experiments.

THE IMPERFECTNESS OF THE LENS

Practical optics has very little in common with the geometrical sums in the physics lessons that students solve while learning about cameras as a kind of equipment. But however accurate the calculations may be, even the most carefully developed ( and rather expensive) model of the lens is not completely perfect. For example, there can be chromatic aberrations, when the objects on the image are colorfully haloed. Test results show that both cameras have the same level of chromatic aberrations. Surprisingly, in spite of the progress of the competitors, Canon hasn’t manage to overcome this problem when developing the Canon S3 into the Canon S5, even after the evolution within internal toolkit. On the whole, in my point of view, the number of drawbacks of cameras for ultra-zoom class is high.

Example 4 : chromatic aberrations are the colourful halos around the bridge footing. This example also displays the difference of the sharpness of the objects in the photo taken by different cameras, but we’ll discuss it later. At the top is the whole shot with the testing area highlighted. On the left is a shot taken by the Canon S3, on the right, by the Canon S5. For both cameras we set semi-auto “Landscape” mode with completely closed aperture, 12x optical zoom in.

SHOOTING CLOSE-UPS - MACRO MODES

Macro-shooting is not an easy task for a camera, designed as the “the mater of landscape photography”. The technical characteristics for shooting bugs and spiders are just opposite of those for shooting sun-sets and mountain landscape. There are numerous items that can be evaluated to identify the macro capacity of the camera. In particular, there is a famous test based upon not simply measuring the distance from the lens surface necessary for focusing, but making a photo of a small object wthin the whole shot. The smaller the object, the higher degree of macro capacity of your camera has.

We agreed to experiment upon the monetary unit of our country - coins of different values.

For both the Canon S3 and the Canon S5, macro-shooting is available in two different modes: “macro” and “super-macro”. We had expected to get the similar results, but it turned out that, with the Canon S5, the borderline between these modes suffers influence of its predecessor. While “macro” mode of the Canon S3 enables you to take a photo of 5 coins, that enlargement is not enough for the Canon S5 for it’s limit is 6 coins (shooting of 5 coins requires “super-macro” mode).

Example 5: On the left, a shot taken by the Canon S3; on the right, by the Canon S5.

After experimenting at length with “super-macro” mode we managed to take the image of a single coin. By the way, the coin is 15.5 mm in diameter. Unfortunately, this test can’t be characterized as complete. It might be possible to take photos of much smaller objects on the whole screen provided there is extra lighting ( the cover around the lens prevented the addition of more light…in fact the lens was resting on the object; we had to build up a flash reflector, manually-set ISO200 sensitivity, and at last lighten the image with an image editor program.

Example 6: “Super-macro” mode. On the left, a shot taken by the Canon S3, on the right, by the Canon S5. The lack of light forced us to set the sensitivity to a high ISO level, and the bright halo around the coin is nothing but a flash, spread all over the tightly-stretched piece of white paper.

SENSOR AND ISO SPEED

Both cameras have sensors of 1/2.5′ size, the number of effective pixels (pixel value) is 6 - 8 megapixels. Nowadays 8 megapixels for that type of sensor seem to be the limit (A greater number is quite possible, though it might be not economically feasible).

An important characteristic of digital camera, referring to its sensor, is ISO speed. The manufacturer gives the ISO speed scale from 80 to 800 for the Canon S3 and up to 1600 for the Canon S5. Let’s experiment to evaluate data in low light condition.

Example 7: ISO80 speed. At the top is the whole shot with the testing area highlighted. On the left is a shot taken by the Canon S3, on the right, by the the Canon S5 (shutter speed priority mode, external light; for better observation the highlighted areas are enlarged in an image editor).

Example 8: ISO100 speed. At the top is the whole shot with the testing area highlighted. On the left is a shot taken by the Canon S3, on the right - by the Canon S5 (shutter speed priority mode, external light; for better observation the highlighted areas are enlarged in an image editor).

Example 9: ISO200 speed. On the left is a shot taken by the Canon S3, on the right, by the Canon S5 (shutter speed priority mode, external light; for better observation the highlighted areas are enlarged in an image editor).

From the examples above we may see that an ISO speed within 80- 200 scale makes good results for both cameras, although the results with the higher ISO speeds are not so clear.

Example 10: ISO400 speed. Same cameras and same conditions as above.

Example 11: ISO800 speed. Same cameras and same conditions as above.

While shooting with ISO400 sensitivity gives equally good results, the setting of ISO800 sensitivity enables the new internal algorithm of noise reduction in the Canon S5 to come into play (Heaven knows how it happens - either via auto or programmed mode). As for ISO1600 sensitivity, it is absolutely useless; even the above mentioned noise reduction mechanism doesn’t cope with the noises. Though the manufacturer doesn’t hold this option back from customers.

Example 12: ISO1600 speed of the Canon S5. The same image patch, as in the previous examples (the shutter speed priority mode, external light; for better observation the marked out areas are enlarged in image editor).

By the way, during the experiments with ISO speed, another peculiar feature of both cameras had been noticed. They manage to operate the white balance mode equally good, except when the white balance mode should be set manually at high ISO speed (800 and 1600). The noises of the sensor seem to appear in the program accepted averaged color, that is white.

It is not a great obstacle to overcome for usually the candlelight is used at such a high ISO speed (the dim light of a table-lamp and dingy street-lamps, for example) and you may choose the appropriate manual setting. Still, it is strange why such an imperfect algorithm inherited from its predecessor didn’t go through any changes.

FOCUSING ON THE DISTANT OBJECTS

It has already been mentioned (discussing chromatic aberrations) that we get different results when focusing on distant object by Canon S3 and Canon S5. To check the fact we shot a series of landscape images with 12x optical zoom in. The semi-auto “landscape” mode was set to provide completely closed aperture along with the other auto-set characteristics (in other words to realize the greatest possible depth of field). To meet the non-stop character of the experiment, the test shots were taken at once without choosing the object to focus on but as soon as the camera informs that its ready to shoot (as soon as it has focused on). In addition, to avoid different views of nature by the cameras, we set “Spot focus” mode. Let me show you the effect referring to the series of shots of a TV tower.

Example 13: Focusing on distant objects with 12x optical zoom in ( “Landscape” mode, “Spot focus” mode). At the top is the shot of the landscape without enlargement; in the middle- the same landscape with 12x optical zoom in (with highlighted testing area). At the bottom to the left is the image by the Canon S3, at the bottom to the right, the image by the Canon S5 (both shots have been enlarged in an image editor).

The results show the pre-eminence of the Canon S5 working in auto focus mode. Probably, the Canon S3 might have shown not as bad results, if it were used in manual focus mode, but then it would break the conditions of the experiment.

TOOLKIT

“Sharpness” is available for both cameras, being called “Rezkost” in Russian texts. It attracted most attention among the other settings, because in a way it may be regarded as the equivalent of the internal noise reduction option (it doesn’t reduce the noise but highlight the edges, that make impression of a high-quality shot). To test that no changes had been made within the algorithm, we took a number of shots with 400ISO speed (the noises are already conspicuous, but they do not prevail).

Example 14: Internal algorithm of increasing “Sharpness” for the Canon S3 and the Canon S5. At the top the photo with highlighted testing area. In the middle, a shot to the left, taken by the Canon S3 without increasing sharpness, a shot to the right, taken by the Canon S3 at a “high” level of “Sharpness”. In the row below the same operations with the Canon S5.

Based upon the examples above, we may say that this algorithm as well didn’t go through great changes: such a “delicate” way of increasing sharpness with a few artifacts left. It seems as though the manufacturer had not intended to update toolkit for a new model.

THE ALGORITHMS OF COMPRESSION

It’s a pity, but neither of the cameras deals with RAW files (despite the Canon S5 sporting a new feature which is characteristic of a professional camera; that is, the flash hot shoe for external flash); all the image files are saved in JPEG format with various degree of resolution and compression (both are manually set). To compare the internal algorithms of compression we shot 2 series of photos in “Landscape” mode (to provide the best depth of field on the small far details). The center of the shot had been taken for the testing area to eliminate possibly the influence of the imperfect optics; all the changes were made in BMP format in order to make JPEG artifacts more conspicuous, and at the same time, not to add any extra while preparing shots for publishing; all the image patches were enlarged in the end.

Example 15: The comparison of the internal algorithms of compression for the Canon S3 and the Canon S5. At the top- the photo with highlighted testing area. The shots with the increasing degrees of compression follow below. On the left are the shots taken by the Canon S3, on the right, by the Canon S5.

The above examples display that the Canon S5 inherits from its predecessor the Canon S3 the visual effect of compression even for the high-quality images. I would recommend either increasing the super-quality of JPEGs (by any possible way) or contribute RAW-format (TIFF/ BMP- any of the formats that compresses without faults); the cameras really suffer from the lack of one!

FEATURES

Among the pleasant innovations for Canon S5, such have been noticed (though not checked):

*extensive work with the same set of batteries (170 shots in stead of 110 - according to the results of the standard test by the manufacturer);
*a hot shoe and sync-contact for external flash.

SUMMING UP

AFTER PRACTICAL WORK WITH BOTH CAMERAS, WE AT DIGICAMFRIENDS.COM ( http://www.DigiCamFriends.com ) MAY CONCLUDE THAT SOME CHANGES INDEED HAVE BEEN MADE FOR THE NEW MODEL. THIS CAN BE OBSERVED IN SUCH OPERATIONS AS FOCUS ON DISTANT OBJECTS WITH HIGH OPTICAL ZOOM OR WITH HIGH ISO SPEED. THESE NEW FEATURES HELPED TO CORRECT UTTER DRAWBACKS FOUND IN THE CANON S3, IN COMPARISON WITH THE SUCCESS OF THE SIMILAR PAIRS OF CAMERAS BY OTHER MANUFACTURES. THE QUESTION IS WOULD YOU AGREE TO PAY FOR THESE INNOVATIONS?

Almost anyone that can point a camera and take a picture can take a portrait picture. There are a few things to learn about when it comes to this type of photography that will help you understand the basics of what makes a good portrait. In reality, you do not need a studio or some special equipment and technical resources to take an outstanding portrait photograph.

A portrait is taken to define the likeness of a person or people and even more so, it is a picture of someone’s face. However, in general the word has a deeper meaning when it is shown in a photo. Portrait photography is understood to be of good quality and not only does it capture a person’s physical look on film, but will also show a characteristic in the manner that is pleasant to the eye, attractive and a unique mannerism of the subject. A very well done portrait will at least contain one element that reveals what the subject’s personality and attitude or any other traits or features that is natural to the person.

One of the benefits of doing portrait photography is the conversation that will take place. It takes an understanding and skill of human nature to be able to take a good portrait. It will require engaging in a conversation with the subject you are working with, find a suitable topic that will spark and interest and a reaction. Common ground is a great way to start when building a rapport with the person, the more you know about the person you photograph, the easier it will be to take a great quality shot. It is important for the subject to be at ease with you so their natural characteristics will show through and appear natural on film.

As a professional photographer who has shot for everyone from National Geographic Adventure to Modern Bride, I take the same care and planning in photographing personal trips as I do work assignments. It could be my South Pacific honeymoon in a bungalow at the Orient Express Bora Bora Lagoon Resort or a weekend car escape with the family in Colorado’s Rocky Mountain National Park.

Whatever your travel plans, here are a few pro tips to help you capture memories of a lifetime.

Pack Smart

When I hit the road, I take both my professional digital camera and my smaller digital point-and-shoot (perfect when I want to be less obtrusive, like in Scottish pubs). Make full use of your lenses-wide-angle lenses are ideal for photographing family picnics and museums, wherever you want to include as much foreground as possible. Telephoto lenses aren’t only for photographing wildlife and sports-they also make the best portrait lenses, too.

Power Up

Bypass alkaline batteries in the field and stick with long-lasting Energizer e2 Lithium AA batteries for your digital camera. You’ll not only save money with lithium batteries (they last up to seven times longer) but weight as well (they’re a third lighter). It might not be critical at the family reunion, but it made a difference for me when I covered the recent Explorers Club Expedition up Africa’s highest peak-Mount Kilimanjaro. Since they also perform well in extreme temperatures, I didn’t have to worry about environmental failure. Energizer e2 Lithium batteries have another plus-they were specifically engineered to meet the energy demands of high-tech devices from MP3 players to wireless headsets.

Likewise, shop smart for memory cards, and always have a few extra. If all your vacation is stored on a single memory card or stick and it fails (which it will sometimes), you’ve lost everything. Spread the risk across several cards and invest in high-quality 512MG and 1G cards by a reputable company such as SanDisk.

Click Away

If you want your pictures to improve dramatically, the easiest way is to get closer, much closer. Put on the wide-angle or zoom all the way out and then move into the scene. Kids roughhousing on the lawn? If you’re not getting bumped, you’re not close enough. Gorgeous columbines in a mountain meadow? If you can’t smell them…

Another easy way to get memorable images is to use new angles. How about climbing on top of your pickup to get that photo of the family barbecue? What about taking a photo while you’re on that roller coaster? Sure it will be blurry, but isn’t that the point?

Be creative. Photography is one of the few artistic outlets open to everyone, and in the age of digital cameras and lithium batteries, if you can imagine it, you can shoot it. On a typical assignment, I’ll shoot over 1,000 photographs in a day. On a typical family trip, I take the same amount. Why? Because it doesn’t cost me a penny more, and the more photos you take, the better photographer you’ll become. So go ahead, click away.