TECH 1005

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TECH 1005

• CAMERAS

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(1) TYPES OF CAMERA

• STILL
• Digital
• 35mm (SLR Compact)
• Medium Format (SLR, TLR)
• Large Format
• VIDEO
• Broadcast Quality
• Amateur Camcorders
• This Lecture concentrates on still cameras

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(2) TYPES OF FILM 1 OF 2

• 35mm
• Workhorse of press, serious amateurs snappers.
• Medium format
• Up to 6 X 6 cm negatives
• Portraits, weddings, landscapes
• High quality very expensive
• continued/

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(2) TYPES OF FILM continued/ 2 OF 2

• Large format
• For large wallets only
• large negatives including plates
• Predominantly professional use e.g. architecture
• Pro cameras very expensive

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(3) THE BASICS

• Whether digital or not
• Film speed
• Exposure
• Shutter speed
• Aperture
• Focal Length
• Composition
• All need to be understood and used correctly.

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(4) FILM SPEED

• Usually expressed as ISO 100, IS0 200, etc.
• The higher the speed the less light required to
  take a picture
• The lower the speed the less Grain in the
  picture

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(5) EXPOSURE 1 OF 2

• For any given film speed a certain amount of
  light has to reach the film
• Too much light (over exposed) image is too
  light
• Too little light (under exposed) image is too
  dark
• continued /

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(5) EXPOSURE continued/. 2 OF 2

• 1st Problem!
• Different parts of a picture will have different
  exposures
• Solution is to use a light meter
• Centre-weighted?
• Spot?
• Or?
• Measure incident light

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(6) SHUTTER SPEED

• Ranges from seconds to 1/4000 TH sec second (or
  less)
• Fast shutter speeds freeze action
• Slow shutter speeds blur action
• Examples?

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(7) APERATURE

• The hole that allows light to enter camera
• Called the F stop
• Small apertures give a large depth of field
• Large apertures give a small depth of field
• Examples
• Beware A large aperature has a low number and
  vice versa
• continued/

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(8) EXPOSURE REVISTED

• Shutter speed and aperture together control
  exposure
• All the following give the same exposure
• f2.8 _at_ 1/1000 sec f4.0 _at_ 1/500 sec
• f5.6 _at_ 1/250 sec f8.0 _at_ 1/125 sec
• f11.0 _at_ 1/60 sec
• The correct combination for the right effect

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(9) FOCAL LENGTH OF A LENS (1)

• Usually expressed in mm
• Small numbers are wide angle
• Large numbers are telephoto
• Wide angle lens have a large depth of field
• Telephoto lens have a small depth of field

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(10) FOCAL LENGTH OF A LENS (2)

• Focal length affects how we see objects
• Wide angle emphasises object nearest lens,
  everything else recedes
• Telephotos flatten the image
• Uses??

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(11) A RECAP

• Aperture and shutter speed work together to give
  the correct exposure for a given film speed
• Shutter speed freezes/blurs image
• Aperture affects depth of field
• Focal length affects depth of field and how much
  of the scene is captured

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(12) TIPS 1 of 4

• For this module you can use digital or film
  cameras
• Simple cameras can sometimes be fooled by
  setting the ISO higher or lower to get a
  particular model
• 
  continued/.

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12) TIPS continued/. 2 of 4

• If photographing people
• Do not get the sun behind or in front of them
• Use a reflector
• Make sure nothing is growing out of their head
• Vary the height of groups
• 
  continued/.

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(12) TIPS continued/. 3 of 4

• Look carefully at all the image in the viewfinder
• Space is ace
• Landscapes need a foreground to give scale
• If you use flash, use a diffuser
• Wide angles are not good for conventional
  portraits - especially close-up
• 
  continued/..

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(12) TIPS continued/. 4 of 4

• Exposure and focus are key
• A poor shot may be improved by manipulation but
  it is far easier to use a good image in the first
  place
• The horizon must be level you never see sloping
  water!

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(13) COMPOSITION 1 of 3

• The following are basic pointers, we return to
  composition later in the module
• Your eyes should be lead around the image
• Avoid placing main subject in the centre, give it
  room to move in
• Use the rule of thirds
• 
  continued/

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(13) COMPOSITION continued/. 2 of 3

• Look for repeating patterns lines, diagonalism
• Use colours effectively
• Contrasting colours create tension/attract
  attention
• Complementary colours give a restful feeling
• continued/..

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(13) COMPOSITION continued/. 3 of 3

• Dont be afraid to shoot portrait as well as
  landscape or even at 45 degrees !
• High contrast (light and dark) help to make
  dynamic images
• Very high contrast subject can be difficult to
  expose correctly
• Low contrast images give a subtle impression

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(14) A WORD ABOUT FLASH

• In low light, you need to use flash
• Nowadays a lot of cameras have built-in flash
• Problems are harsh shadows, burnt-out faces,
  red-eyes etc.
• Use a diffuser
• Bounce the flash
• There is a set of mains-powered flash for you to
  use
• Must use a flash meter

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Flash meters

• Simple to use
• Position subject and lights
• Stand by subject and point meter towards the
  camera
• Fire the flash and read the correct aperture
• Repeat process for each light so you know
  relative brightness and then for all lights
  together
• Must have set the meter to the correct film speed
• Make sure the diffuser is covering the sensor
• Shutter speed is irrelevant as long as it is
  equal, or faster, than the flash synch speed
• Usually marked in red or by a X on the shutter
  speed dial