The Trouble with Digital Cameras....

[Islandzoo]

..trouble with digi cams is that the batteries go so quick - well they do on ours. (it's a fugi finepix)
and if you don't press the button quick down enough, it doesn't take the pic, so when you're trying to get a shot in a split second, like when animals move so much, it's really hard! :shrug: You think you've taken it, but you haven't - so annoying! or, you have a pic with nothing in it, cos the critter's long gone! that's why I seem to have so few pics of the fuzzies.:scratchch

Secondly,
I'm completely rubbish with pictures. I can take em, but thats it:p
making high res pics lower res or making them smaller is so hard, and quite often with these things, it's quite a long-winded process and you need someone physically to show you the process
(ie I'm a bit thick and need someone to show me cos written descriptions of what to do just confuuuuse me:rotflmao: )
So, who fancies a holiday to the UK to show me how to do it, or Sue could always take the 6 hour drive down to me:emot-danc :woot: ok ok maybe not:D

I think the fact that I am not the most patient of people doesn't help, when trying to teach yourself things you need to have some right....

[Shirley]

..trouble with digi cams is that the batteries go so quick - well they do on ours. (it's a fugi finepix)

Get two sets of rechargeable batteries. As soon as one set runs down, put it in the recharger and use the other set. Rechargeables last decently long, too. For travel, I use 4 sets and a "quick charger". Each day, I begin with 3 sets of fully charged batteries... I never used all 3 sets, but I also shoot all I want all day long, and delete what I don't want to keep without worry of using up the batteries.


and if you don't press the button quick down enough, it doesn't take the pic, so when you're trying to get a shot in a split second, like when animals move so much, it's really hard!

Give your camera time to focus, which usually means press your shutter button down 1/2-way and allow it to focus, DON'T move the camera -- it's an auto-focus... it can't refocus unless you lift your finger and refocus after you move your camera. Then, push all the way when you are ready. This gives you a quicker response... it's focused and ready to shoot. You can't just point and shoot.. it must have time to focus before it will actually take the picture. It also must have time to "recharge" and write to the card before it can take the next picture. Also, I ALWAYS shoot "Best Quality" because I never know if the picture I take is the one I'll want to print as a 16x20 and frame it! The better quality you take, the longer it takes to write the information to your camera card. Also, if I did not take the couple minutes to resize my images, you'd be loading up 26x35" images to view... how fun would that be? :( :rolleyes:

Until you can resize your images, however, shoot with your camera set for web pictures if you are shooting for uploading images to the Internet, and they will usually be small enough and clear enough for Internet veiwing.



:shrug: You think you've taken it, but you haven't - so annoying! or, you have a pic with nothing in it, cos the critter's long gone! that's why I seem to have so few pics of the fuzzies.:scratchch

Until you spend the money to purchase, say, a Nikon D-70 for about $1,000, this will happen. Happens to me all the time. I will shoot 45 pics of a bird in action, not posed, and get 5 awesome keeper shots. Take these shots in SPORTS mode. That's your action setting... keeps your shots much clearer, less blurry. If your camera does not have a sports mode, then you are going to be more limited. Most digitals have a sports mode. Also, most cameras have vast online manuals that are much more comprehensive than the little pamphlet that comes in the box. These online manuals have lots of graphics to explain what they are teaching you.

What model Fuji Finepix do you have? Fuji is a fine camera, btw.


Secondly,
I'm completely rubbish with pictures.
It just takes a lot of hands-on practice. Take 50 pics to get 5 good ones. That's the beauty of digital. No cost for learning. :)

I can take em, but thats it:p
making high res pics lower res or making them smaller is so hard, and quite often with these things, it's quite a long-winded process and you need someone physically to show you the process

Everyone with Win XP has Windows Picture and FAX Viewer software. Do you use XP?

Windows Picture and FAX viewer is the default setting for viewing your images unless you've changed your default. It can rotate your images if they are sideways, and it can save them that way, but I don't see where it can resize them or crop them. Also, all digital cameras come with software for editing pics. I don't install the camera software... I use Photoshop, but that's expensive -- around $600-800+/- depending... but there are plenty of basic inexpensive or free photo-editing programs available. Your camera has some photo-editing software, I'm sure.

It is essential to learn simple resizing and cropping for posting photos on the Web... consider those on slow dialup accounts... they are not going to wait for a photo to load that takes 5-10 min to load, or even 1 min to load b/c the person did not resize it to a manageable size to view.

Look at pics on the Web. Right click the image. Left click on the word Properties. there you see the image size in bytes or kilobytes (KB) or megabytes (MB) A 1 MB photo is pretty huge for a dialup account to view.

Try for 80 KB or smaller.

Find a photo-editing program you LIKE and stick with it. If you install every new editing program that comes with a printer, scanner, or camera, then it will often become your default program and you'll have to "find" the one you like all over again.

(ie I'm a bit thick and need someone to show me cos written descriptions of what to do just confuuuuse me:rotflmao: )

I think the fact that I am not the most patient of people doesn't help, when trying to teach yourself things you need to have some right....

A passion for the subject certainly softens the learning curve!! :D

Now... here are some examples of what I'm talking about regarding simple cropping: Click each image to see the enlarge full view. The original image was 3.5 MB -- huge! Notice all the WASTED space in the uncropped image... same size as the cropped image. BASIC free or inexpensive photo editing software has cropping available. Why download someone's carpet or wall when what you want to see is their bird, or dog, or the flower, or the person's face? :) :highfive:

[dobejazz]

Hi, For resizing pictures The Reef tank has a good lesson in the Photography section. There is also a link to a free program ifran view for resizing pictures.
also if you have a manual setting on the camera set the shutter speed higher.
I need to have mine really high to take pictures of my toddler. Ifran has a crop feature also but I don't know how to use it yet. Hope this helps. Kelli

[dobejazz]

I just tried the crop feature and it's pretty easy I'm just not good at it LOL
but for free software it's great
Kelli

[Shirley]

Excellent crop feature! Now, did you do that in the camera, or w/software after you put the image on your computer hard drive? Also, what camera make/model are you using?

The faster shutter speed is what the sports mode is, Kristie, a faster shutter speed, to stop the action. ;)

Thanks, Kelli!

Here's the TRT photo forum link Kelli is referring to:

http://www.thereeftank.com/forums/showthread.php?t=22356

:dance:

[dobejazz]

Hi Shirley, The crop feature was from the Ifran view Free software I downloaded off the TRT site. The camera is a Sony Mavica CD500. I'm into animals and My husband is into hi-tech electronics So I get an excellent camera to take pics of the critters. it's a win-win situation. Kelli

[SadennaAndFlock]

I have to agree with shirley Rechargable batteries are the way to go..we have two sets for our digital camera they take about an hour to charge and they are ready to go it's been great and we are not spending a ton of money on batteries.

[Islandzoo]

Hi shirley
I might print off that and re-read it.. thank you, some great info in there!

At home here I'm using XP Pro but at work, I have a mac so it's a bit different.

I don't know if there's a sports mode on the cam, I have no idea where the manual is (is trevors camera) but there's a little wheel on the back, you turn to either view the frames, or theres a short 'movie' mode, or a little camera symbol for taking pics, also a tulip symbol also for taking pics, but dont' know what difference that is??

its a finepix A303 and says 3.2 mega pixels on the front. I know it was around £300 couple years ago - quite expensive for us.

[Shirley]

You have a very nice camera, Kristie. You'll be amazed at what you can do with it. I swear I'll help you get up to speed with a few basics... you'll be so happy!

Review of your camera:
http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/A303/A303A.HTM

Btw, I recommend Fujifinepix, Olympus, and Canon to people for consumer digitals. They are very, very good cameras - super image quality at great prices.

Scroll way down on that site above... great graphics to help you out.

Hope this helps... still looking for the manual...

[Sue]

I have a Canon, Know what you mean about the batteries I have 2 sets too.