Tips and Tricks to Improve Your HD-DSLR Video Recording

The new generation of dSLR cameras include high–definition (HD) video, and this is opening up a whole new realm of creative possibilities to photographers. Digital SLRs are making it much easier for visual everyone to share cinematic stories. Even if you’re a novice, the tips and techniques in this guide will soon have you planning and shooting movies in HD, like the filmmaker you always thought you could be.

Here are some tips to improve your HD-DSLR video recording:

• It will take some practice, but you must learn to focus manually,autofocus is just not acceptable. Not every DSLR requires you to focus manually when recording video, but many of them do. Even DSLRs that offer automatic, continuous focus during video recording tend to be pretty bad.
• Know which way your focus ring turns. Make sure you know the direction of the lens you’re using so you don’t waste any time adjusting.
• Use a tripod, and make your movements smooth. It’s important that your camera can remain steady, yet still move as smoothly as possible, which requires the use of a tripod and a fluid head made for video.
• If your camera allows, use manual exposure settings when shooting video because exposures will change as you pan the camera.
• A good shutter speed for video is 1/50th second. That’s the “classic sweet spot”.
• Set the ISO to 200.
• The wider your aperture the more shallow your depth of field will be, making mistakes in focus far less forgiving. If you don’t want or need shallow depth of field for a particular occasion, stop down the lens to a higher, narrower aperture and you’ll have a little more room for error in your focusing. Some people recommends an aperture setting of F/5.6, which he says is used by many cinematographers.
• If your camera accommodates 24 fps video capture, use it.
• Avoid auto white balance at all costs. Instead, pick one white balance mode and stick with it throughout the video.
• Use the camera’s neutral image setting; it will give you the most latitude for postproduction work.
• Focus where your subject will be, not where it is.
• Always shoot a minimum of 15 seconds per take.
• Never shoot vertical, unless you want to mount your HDTV sideways.
• Invest in a good high-performance memory card. Slower cards will conk out when their buffer becomes overloaded.
• If you’re serious about video, invest in an add-on microphone, like the $200 Sennheiser MKE 400 shotgun microphone.
• Lenses vary, so practice with each of your lenses to get a feel for how far you need to turn the focus ring to get the results you’re looking for.
• Learn how to use natural light. Look for conditions that are occurring in real life, using existing light, and learn to work with that as a base.
• Use a neutral density filter, like an N.3 or N.9; stick with one brand if you buy several filters.

via

Some great easy to understand information and tips about shooting DSLR video in a selection of videos just released on Vimeo by Richard Harrington at Rhedpixel.


Setting up a Camera Correctly for DSLR Video from Richard Harrington on Vimeo


Lighting Essentials for DSLR Video from Richard Harrington on Vimeo.


Audio Essentials for DSLR Video from Richard Harrington on Vimeo.

Basic Camera (DSLR) Settings that must be understood

Here are list of error messages from Canon EOS DSLR

Believe it or not, there are still many owners of digital cameras that still do not understand the basic settings of their cameras. In result, they only rely on the Auto mode when shooting and accept what they come up with as adequate. Yet we know that the camera has a lot of settings and an error in setting may result in a disappointing picture. This may affect the willingness of some people to experiment various settings on their cameras. True, the Auto mode on cameras these days are quite smart in making a safe photograph result. But still, aren’t you curious in what your camera can optimally do? At the least we should familiarize ourselves and at least have tried every basic settings on our cameras so we’ll know what needs resetting when faced with different situations.
Though it may seem trivial, the following settings will aid you in getting better photo results if set correctly. For a more detailed explanation, consult your camera’s manual because what I’m posting here is more general in nature:

Image Size (Sensor Resolution)

Photographs or digital formatted images are measured in pixels and is related to the resolution of the camera’s sensor. Sensor resolution signifies the maximum photo size that can be produced (stated in mega pixels). Cameras these days have underwent major increase in pixel count on their sensor chips. And as we know, the higher the resolution the more detailed the resulting image.

Whatever the resolution a digital camera has, there is usually these choices of resolution settings:

• Maximum resolution (Large): With this setting, the camera will produce images with full resolution capacity and will inevitably produce large-sized photo files. Use this setting when you’re taking photographs of something you deem important, rich in detail, photos you plan on doing a lot of cropping with, or ones you plan to print as large sizes.
• Medium Resolution (Medium): The camera will produce medium-sized photos that are still quite detailed but not too big in file size. This setting is suitable for everyday shooting.
• Low Resolution (Small): If you only need small-sized photos to be displayed on the web and you do not plan on printing or cropping it, this low resolution is handy to use. It saves lots of disc space.
  

Image Quality (JPEG Compression)

Many people misunderstand the concept of resolution. They wrongly think that picture quality is determined by the resolution, when in reality, resolution states the photo detail. The quality is really determined by the level of JPEG compression,which can be manually set. The higher the JPEG compression, then the lower the photo quality will be. This is because the compression process is “lossy” in nature, which means it lowers quality. Low quality photos will look pixelated because of high compression process, but will in return require very low-sized files. Generally, quality settings found on the average digital camera is as follows:

• High Quality (Super fine, best, or high quality): If you need high-quality photos with minimal visible pixels, then choose this low-compression setting. This in return, however, will have a large file output (around 4 to 5 MB per photo).
• Medium Quality (fine, medium, or better quality): Suitable for everyday use, with no visible pixels, yet not too large in size.
• Basic Quality (Normal, good, or basic quality): Choose this option in emergency conditions (e.g. using a memory card with a low capacity, or there’s little space left in your memory card). In this setting, the JPEG compression is very high making output photos very small in size. This setting, however, will cause compression effects such as highly pixelated photographs.
  

Sensor Sensitivity (ISO)

ISO in digital photography indicates how sensitive the sensor will be to light. Each camera has a base ISO (or lowest ISO) which is generally between ISO 80 to ISO 200. At the lowest ISO, the sensor provides low-noise images, which makes this setting the favorite among most people. But the different ISO settings are there to provide convenience for us. So therefore, we should understand when to use the lowest ISO and when we would have to increase the ISO setting.

• Low ISO (ISO 80 – 200) is suitable for everyday use, as long as the surround light is bright enough when shooting in daylight. Low ISO can also be chosen when we want to avoid photo noise or when we’re experimenting with slow-speed photography.
• Medium ISO (ISO 400-800) could be the compromise between sensitivity and noise. With the medium ISO setting we can get less-sensitive sensors with an acceptable noise level. Use medium ISO when the surrounding light starts to dim, or when using a basic ISO shutter speed is too slow and can potentially blur. Visible noise in this setting can still be edited using photo-editing softwares.
• High ISO (ISO 1000-6400) is an extreme increase in sensor sensitivity, which will make the sensor very sensitive to light but will also crease a high level of visible noise. Use this High ISO setting when the lighting is inadequate for the camera to get the right exposure, or if we want to get a higher shutter speed. On most digital cameras, high ISO will generally result in photos with intense noise levels and will generally be inadequate for printing.
  

Exposure Compensation (Ev)

This particular setting is sometimes understood by many as the control of the brightness aspect of a photograph, though a more precise understanding is that Ev is how we instruct the camera to set its zero exposure. The Ev setting is the basic setting of digital cameras ranging from Professional grade cameras to cellular phone cameras, and in fact this setting is very useful to overcome any undesired brightness or lack there of. The default Ev value is 0 (zero) where the camera tries to find the best shutter and aperture value of the measurements of current lighting conditions (metering). On the 0 value of Ev, the bright areas (highlights) and dark areas (shadow) is usually in a balanced state, thought each camera have slightly different characteristics. In certain conditions, there are times when the camera’s metering does not give the desired results, whether it be under or over exposed.

When that’s the case, we can toggle the Ev values in the direction of:

• Positive Ev (ranging from +1/3 Ev up to +3 Ev) is set if we want to make the darker parts of the photo bright, although there is a risk of blowing the bright. Usually in high contrast areas, such as the under a blazing sun or in cases of backlighting, the photo needs to be compensated towards the positive.
• Negative Ev (ranging from -1/3 Ev to -3 Ev) is set if we want to darken the bright areas, like when photographing sunsets. Without the decreasing of the Ev, a sunset photo will look too bright and the beautiful moment of the sun setting will not be recorded properly.
  

Flash Mode

Flash on the camera seems pretty trivial because it only serves as additional light. But in certain situations users often overlook the flash settings during shooting. Generally, the flash setting is left at the Auto mode where the flash will trigger only when the atmosphere is quite dark. Though often we need flash during the daytime, and there are also times when we shouldn’t use the flash at nighttime. That is why the basic settings of the camera flash need to be understood. These settings are as follows:

• Auto: Turns on automatically when in dark surroundings. Avoid the Auto mode as much as possible.
• Flash On: Always triggers at every shot. Use this setting when you want to photograph with the flash, like when there is no light source whatsoever except for the camera flash, or during the day when the object is darkened by shadows. Flash during daytime can also be used to fight backlight.
• Flash on plus red-eye: Same as above, but the flash will light up twice to prevent red eye. There are people that use this setting without understanding its use, so they use this setting every time they photography, day or night, when in fact this can cause them to lose moments because there’s a pause between the flashes. Besides, the frequent triggering of the flash will make the battery run out more quickly.
• Flash off:The opposite of flash on, the flash off setting of course prevents the flash to trigger during photographing. First, use this setting when the surrounding lighting is adequate. Second, turn off flash when you need to shoot with available light (or natural light) like when photographing candles, night shoots or shooting in a spacious room. Third, this setting is handy when the use of flash is prohibited, such as during concerts or in houses of worship. Fourth, do not use the flash when it will cause light to reflect from the object such as shooting through a car window, shooting fish in an aquarium and shooting shiny objects.
  

White Balance

Lastly, the basic setting often overlooked is the setting of the white balance color. Common reasons why not many likes to try and experiment with this setting is because at the Auto WB setting, the resulting photo is satisfactory and the color are rarely missed. But are we just going to surrender to the Auto WB mode when faced with different white lightings? In our environment, there are many sources of white light, such as the sun, fluorescent lights, and incandescent lights, to flashes. If the camera misinterprets in recognizing the light source, then the resulting photo will appear bluish or reddish, which will ruin the mood of a photograph. If there are WB presents available on your camera for those different lighting, try to use the appropriate setting.
Those are the basic settings of digital cameras that you need to familiarize with, understand, and try out. There are still plenty other more advanced settings, but by optimizing these basic settings, we can keep taking satisfying pictures that will delight any viewer.

http://oneslidephotography.com/list-of-error-message-canon-eos-dslr/

Quick Explaination of White Balance Setting

Here are list of error messages from Canon EOS DSLR

In photography and image processing, color balance is the global adjustment of the intensities of the colors (typically red, green, and blue primary colors). An important goal of this adjustment is to render specific colors – particularly neutral colors – correctly; hence, the general method is sometimes called gray balance, neutral balance, or white balance. Color balance changes the overall mixture of colors in an image and is used for color correction; generalized versions of color balance are used to get colors other than neutrals to also appear correct or pleasing.

You can check white balance by looking at a captured image on the camera’s monitor. If you examine the images closely you may notice that white areas in particular have some color cast to them. (You may want to zoom the image so you can see enlarged details more clearly). To remove color casts and capture images with colors that look like they were shot at midday, we use the camera’s white balance system. This system automatically or manually adjusts the image so colors are captured the way we see them regardless of the light illuminating them. For example, the fluorescent setting compensates for the greenish light from fluorescent lamps and the tungsten setting compensates for the warmer, more reddish color of tungsten lights.

Many digital cameras offer a number of white balance settings, some for specific lighting situations.

When to use Auto white balance: In auto, the camera guesses what white balance to use depending on the available light. In 95% of the time, the guess results in a nicely colored photograph. This is a perfect setting for times when you’re unsure what white balance to choose. It’s also a good idea to keep the camera on Auto white balance if you shoot in RAW format (recommended).

Daylight (Canon) and Direct Sunlight (Nikon):

This is a good setting for direct sunlight. For example, a beach landscape mid morning where you’re not shooting into shade.

When to use Shade white balance:

Use shade white balance in shady area’s or sunset shots. It will help give a warmer color to your shots.

When to use Cloudy:

This is a good setting for cloudy days. It’s also quite effective for shady area’s as well. I’ve found there is a fine line between shade and cloudy white balance settings.

When to use Tungsten white balance:

This is one of the most extreme balance settings of them all and should only be used with tungsten light bulbs. Or at times where you purposefully want a blue tinge to your images.

When to use fluorescent:

This setting will help make inside flourescent house lighting, look a bit better than the yellowy orange color you usually see.

Flash white balance:

Flash white balance is used mostly for studio work.

Custom (Canon) and Preset (Nikon) white balance settings:

Use these ones with a white or grey card that you can pick up cheaply from any camera store, for perfect white balance.

Doesn’t auto white balance fix this problem?

Not always. While it’s true many improvements have been made in todays digital camera’s, they still often get white balance settings wrong in certain lighting conditions. If you take your images in RAW format (highly recommended) then sure, go ahead and use auto white balance. If the camera gets it wrong, you can always change this setting later on in your RAW editor.

http://oneslidephotography.com/list-of-error-message-canon-eos-dslr/

Tips: List of Error Message Canon EOS DSLR

Here are list of error messages from Canon EOS DSLR

Err 01 :

Communications between the camera and lens is faulty. Clean the lens contacts.
-Clean the electrical contacts on the camera and lens.
-Use a Canon lens.
-If the instructions above do not solve the problem, please contact your nearest Canon Service Center.

Err 02 :

Card cannot be accessed. Reinsert/change card or format card with camera.
-Remove and install the card again.
-Replace the card.
-Format the card.

Err 04 :

Cannot save images because card is full. Replace card.
-Replace the card.
-Erase unnecessary images on the card.
-Format the card.

Err 05 :

The built-in flash could not be raised.
- Turn the camera off and on again.
-If the instructions above do not solve the problem, please contact your nearest Canon Service Center.

Err 06 :

Sensor cleaning is not possible.
- Turn the camera off and on again.
-If the instructions above do not solve the problem, please contact your nearest Canon Service Center.

Err 10,20,30,40, 50,70,80 :

Shooting is not possible due to an error. Turn the camera off and on again.
-Remove and re-install the battery.
-Use a Canon lens.
-If the instructions above do not solve the problem, please contact your nearest Canon Service Center

Err99 :

results from an electronic communication problem between the lens and the camera.
-Clean the electrical contacts on the camera and lens.
-Change the lens.
-Use a Canon lens.
-If the instructions above do not solve the problem, please contact your nearest Canon Service Center.

http://oneslidephotography.com/list-of-error-message-canon-eos-dslr/

Tips: EOS EF L series lens date codes

   If we buy an L series lens from Canon, surely we will find a line of code on the back of the lens. The code is the code of the year and the place where the lens was made. Now, for buying lenses, especially the used lens .. this code can be very utilized in determining how old is from the lens. The meaning of these codes are as follows.

For example, if a lens has a code UV0207, then it can be interpreted from the information that the age of the lens is as follows. U code shows the location where the lens in manufactured, in this case it is in the Canon factory in Utsunomiya, Japan. The other codes are as follows:

U = Utsunomiya, Japan
F = Fukushima, Japan
O = Oita, Japan

Furthermore, the second letter, “V”, is the yer these lenses were manufactured. The complete guide to these 2nd set of code is as follows:

A = 1986, 1960
B = 1987, 1961
C = 1988, 1962
D = 1989, 1963
E = 1990, 1964
F = 1991, 1965
G = 1992, 1966
H = 1993, 1967
I = 1994, 1968
J = 1995, 1969
K = 1996, 1970
L = 1997, 1971
M = 1998, 1972
N = 1999, 1973
O = 2000, 1974
P = 2001, 1975
Q = 2002, 1976
R = 2003, 1977
S = 2004, 1978
T = 2005, 1979
U = 2006, 1980
V = 2007, 1981
W = 2008, 1982
X = 2009, 1983
Y = 2010, 1984
Z = 2011, 1985

The next two sets of number, “02″, is the month the lens was manufactured. The number “02” shows that the lens was made in February.

The next two digits, “07″, is an internal code of Canon lenses and its meaning does not define its age.

By knowing these codes, you can know at a glance that these old lens is 2 years old,and was made in Japan in February of 2007.

credit by http://oneslidephotography.com/eos-ef-l-series-lens-date-codes/

Noise in Photographs

Noise in Photographs: The Causes and the Remedies

Noise, or a set of spots or visible pixels on photographs, often annoys many of us because it lowers the image quality. Before we discuss the remedies to fixing noise, we need to get a better understanding of the cause of these spots on our photos.

- The size of your sensors

Large sensors like those found in DSLRs, especially in full-framed DSLRs, produces less noise than their smaller sensors counterparts (often found in pocket cameras or camera phones). Consequently, these larger full-frame DSLR sensors are quite expensive and not everyone can afford them. Therefore, purchase a camera with the largest sensor you can afford.

- High ISO

Photos resulting from high ISO settings will have an increase in noise visibility. There are times when we do need to use high ISOs, but for maximum results, stick with the lower ISOs (e.g. ISO 400 and lower).

- High-temperature lighting

The higher the temperature of your light source (measured in Kelvin), the more noise will appear. What is meant by “high temperature” is the tint of the overall light source, yellowish, red or orange being in this “high temperature” spectrum; while “low temperature” means a light bluish tint.

- Long exposures

The longer we open our sensors to record an image, the higher the level of noise will show in the resulting photo. This is due to the sensor getting hotter and eventually overheating when the sensors are exposed too long. This often happens when photographing star trails in the night sky.

- Underexposures

When the photos taken are underexposed, noise will increasingly show, especially in dark and shadowed areas. Therefore, determining the optimal exposure settings is very important. To observe whether the image is over or underexposed, you can use the information given in the histogram.



Now that we know what causes these forsaken spots, here are ways you can eliminate (or at least reduce) the noise in your photographs:

- The most popular way is to shoot your photos with the RAW image-type setting (A large file type with a higher quality than that of JPG).

- Use the lowest ISO possible. The lower the ISO, the less chance you’ll get a noisy photograph. And to overcome the slow shutter speed problem caused by the use of low ISO, use a tripod or flash.

- Also, you can do various post-editing to the photographs using one (or more) of the many available image-editing softwares. The more popular of these softwares include Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Lightroom, Noise Ninja, and Neat Image. Inside these softwares there are a few tools to reduce noise.

- In many cameras, there is an NR (Noise Reduction) feature available. This feature is quite helpful when you shoot using JPG as your file type. But most cameras available on the market right now do not have a sufficient NR setting, so using this feature may lower the quality of your photo and tiny details may not be visible. Also, the use of NR slows the process of saving the image to the memory card.

- Use lenses with large apertures. This will affect the photo’s overall lighting. The larger the aperture, the more lighting can optimally be recorded in low-light conditions. If these wide aperture lenses aren’t helpful enough in your situation, then use a flash for optimal lighting. The main goal is to avoid getting an underexposed lighting.

Having said all the above, however, sometimes noise can also be our friend. For example, we may favor noise when we want to apply a textured effect on our photographs. Applying such will create classically accented black and white photos. Visualizing which of your photographs suit having noise in them and which one does not will make your photos look more attractive.



credit by http://oneslidephotography.com/noise-in-photographs-the-causes-and-the-remedies/

Tips: How to Photograph Rays of Light

Taking photos of sunrises and sunsets can be especially rewarding. At these times of day when the sun is lower in the sky, sunlight travels through more atmosphere to reach the earth. Photographing sunbeams/rays of light requires specific camera settings and an eye for careful evaluation of the quality of light.Here are some tips and tricks for capturing rays of light.



1. Choose a shoot time in the early morning or late evening. Optimal shooting is between 1/2 hour before sunset to 1/2 hour after sunset. Don’t forget about “afterglow” and remember to look behind you to notice what the sky is doing there as well.The sun’s rays are most dramatic at these hours. High-contrast midday light is difficult to capture. In the early morning and evening hours, mist or other particles in the air will reflect sunlight more clearly, creating a better defined sunbeam in the image. If morning mist is low, do it like what they do in movies, create smoke. Rays get reflected in the dust partickles of smoke. You’ll get the same effect.



2. Try to hide the sun behind a tree or branch to enhance the rays of light. it helps if there’s a wee bit of mist or vapour in the air as the light reflecting off this accentuates the rays.



3. Choose a high-contrast location where the sunlight is cascading onto a darker background, such as through a canopy of leafy trees or through a window into a darkened room. The contrast of the dark background will clearly delineate the sunbeam.

4. Compose your image in such a way that the sun is not a direct part of the composition. Try to hide the sun behind a tree or branch to enhance the rays of light. it helps if there’s a wee bit of mist or vapour in the air as the light reflecting off this accentuates the rays and this keeps direct sunlight from overpowering individual rays of light.



5. Meter the image and select camera settings based on your meter reading. These settings will vary based on your chosen backdrop and setting. A high-contrast situation, such as sunlight on a dark background, may “fool” your meter, so selecting settings that are slightly lower than recommended by your light meter may improve your chance of success. Do not use your flash. Select a narrow aperture setting to maximize the depth of field and use a longer shutter speed to compensate for the smaller quantity of light.

6. Watch out for lens flare, keep your lens surface and lens filters clean.

credit by http://oneslidephotography.com/how-to-photograph-rays-of-light-4/

Tips: Understanding Histogram in Digital Photography

   Histogram is a feature in a DSLR camera that is often under-utilized by its users because of lack of understanding as what and how this histogram function works. Histogram, in general, can be viewed on the LCD screen by pressing the “info” button located next to the screen. Read on to learn more about what histogram informs the users about their photographs.

The X axis in the histogram illustrates the level of brightness/contrast ranging from totally black (level 0) to totally white (level 255), and therefore there are 254 levels of contrast in between. The & axis illustrates the pixel distribution in each level of said contrast.

Generally, a good photograph has a hill-shaped histogram with no cut-offs at the edges and at the peak of the hill shape. I say “in general” because there are some types of photographs (like a high-key, low-key, or night shot) where the histogram does not form this hill shape.




If a histogram showcases some cut offs at the tops of the hill shape, that means the dynamic range (level of contrast) of the photograph surpasses the dynamic range that is recordable by the sensor of the camera. If we force the camera to take a photograph in this condition, then the photo will appear too contrast; there can even be white lines visible on the borders where a light area meets a dark area of the photograph. In such situations, we would need a Graduated Neutral Density (GND) filter to lessen the brightness of the brightest area so as to be able to adjust the dynamic range to suit the sensor of the camera.

An example of a histogram of a photograph with a dynamic range that surpasses the capabilities of the camera sensor:




On the opposite end of the above condition, on histograms that has “hill” edges far from the ends of the X axis, the photographic settings doesn’t optimally utilize the dynamic range recording of the photograph. The resulting photo will appear dull and lacking contrast. This condition can still be helped during the post-editing process, but there will be gaps on the contrast level. If there are too many of these gaps, it’ll result in a poster-like rough image.

Example of a histogram with a short dynamic range:

The above histogram is then fixed digitally, creating the new histogram below:


   In under-exposure instances, the histogram will show a “clipping” on the dark areas. Clipping: the peak of the histogram is cut off or is rough. If clipping happens, then the detail of the image in that contrast level disappears and can’t be helped by any digital processing. On the following histogram example, the details of the dark areas disappear.

Example of an under-exposed photograph histogram:

On the opposite end of the spectrum, over exposures will create clippings on the bright areas (right side of the histogram). In such instance, the detail in the bright areas disappear and can’t be saved by digital processing.

Example of a histogram of an over-exposure photograph:

As we evaluate our results on the DSLR’s LCD screen, don’t just pay attention to the photograph shown. This can fool us into thinking the results turned out fine (especially on overly bright or overly dark conditions) where there are actually flaws. Also pay close attention to the histogram to avoid any regrets.

How do you fix a histogram? The result of the histogram depends on the exposure (combination of aperture, shutter speed, and ISO) and unfortunately the exposure as a result of automatic metering by the camera doesn’t always give the best exposures. By paying attention to the histogram, we can know when manual toggling needs to be done to compensate for lack of better exposure or if a GND filter needs to be used.

Generally speaking, if a histogram shows a clipping on the dark end of the spectrum, then that means an under-exposure happened and you’d need to do a positive compensation on the exposure settings (+1/3, +2/3, or higher as is needed). The bigger the cut-off portion, the bigger the exposure compensation.

And vice versa, where the clipping happens on the bright areas, then you must under-compensate and set the exposure at a negative value (-1/3, -2/3, or lower as is needed).

If the dynamic range exceeds the sensor’s maximum dynamic range, then you’ll need to use a GND filter to lessen the contrast of the bright areas.

Little histogram flaws that occur, if not too extreme, can still be helped in the digital post-processing edits by toggling on the levels.

Histogram Explanation from Adorata TV on YouTube:

Tips: For Choosing the right DSLR Camera Bag

Photography Tips - Choosing the right DSLR Camera Bag

A Camera bag is one of the necessities when owning a DSLR camera. And of course the camera bag design significantly differs from ordinary bags. First, a camera bag is usually equipped with several compartments lined with thick foam (the type varies) to protect the contents from tremor and shocks. Models and brands also vary, each with their own advantages. But the main function of a camera bag is of course to carry the camera body, lenses, and a few other necessary accessories when travelling, be it during a walk or during a photo-hunting session.

When travelling long distances, we sometime need a camera bag that’s also able to carry a laptop. But when we’re exploring in open nature or during a photo-hunting session, we would need a more compact camera bag and one that will ease access to the camera when we encounter ever-fleeting moments.

In brief, the following are several tips in choosing the right DSLR camera bag for you:

1. Consider any future needs.

Do not buy bags too small a size because photography accessories usually add up over time with the cultivation of your photographic creativity. Consider the bag capacity that you will need for at least one year to come. Also consider your needs for long-distant out-of-town travels and travels abroad. Sometimes we need a camera bag that is also able to securely carry a laptop.

2. Choose ones equipped with a rain protective cover.

Rain covers or a protective layer against rain is essential to protect the items in the bag (especially camera bodies and lenses) for instances of unexpected downpours or any other potential water damage. This is especially essential when photographing in open nature. Even if the manufacturers claim that their camera bag products are waterproof, it’s better to have this extra protection. These rain protective covers can also be purchased separately at camera equipment stores.

3. For limited budgets, try custom or handmade bags.

Handmade or custom-made bags may be an option if the budget is limited. Plenty innovative individual sellers are able to make camera bags of reasonably good quality at affordable prices. Check the availabilities of these handmade bags at your local camera equipment stores. They usually have local-made camera bags at more affordable prices.

Several types of camera bags include

1. Backpacks DSLR Bag

The backpack models are most suitable for long-distant travels. This model is available in several sizes. With a considerably large capacity, you can pack all of your camera gears into one bag. This type of bag is usually used for those with DSLR-type cameras because these types of cameras have many detachable components such as lenses, tripods, filter, and others. Backpack camera bags also usually have a laptop compartment.

2. Slingshot bags DSLR Bag

The slingshot model is more compact, suitable for brief photo-session uses. However, given that the slingshot bags are carried by placing the handle around one shoulder, it will tire this shoulder more quickly.

3. Shoulder DSLR bags

This model, at a glance, is similar to an ordinary shoulder bag. Like the slingshot model, this type of bag is suitable for brief photographing sessions. Because the bag is also carried by one shoulder, it also more easily tires out the shoulder. It’s advisable that when using this model, don’t carry too many accessories.

4. Waist bags

The waist bags, on the other hand, aren’t carried on a shoulder. Removing and inserting your cameras are also much easier. However, because of its small size, you can only carry a few items. These waist bags are usually used by photographers using small or medium-sized cameras with only one lens.


   

Tips: The Exposure Triangle of Photography

Exposure Triangle of Photography

The key to obtaining ideal photographs depends on the exposure triangle of photography. The exposure triangle consists of aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. The combination of the three determines how dark or bright the resulting photo will be.

APERTURE

Aperture is the opening in the lens where light enters. If the opening is large, ample lighting will enter the lens. As the opening gets smaller, less light will enter. Besides being one of the ways to control incoming light, aperture is also used to control the depth of field.

In practice, if you are in an environment where the light is very bright, then the lens opening can be narrowed so as to lessen the amount of the light that enters. If the environment is a low light environment, then a larger opening is necessary for enough light to enter to obtain an optimal photograph.

Aperture can also be used to control the depth of field. A wide aperture makes for a shallow depth of field, consequently making the background of photograph blurry (bokeh). A narrow aperture, on the other hand, makes for a deep depth of field, which will consequently make the background appear sharper or focused. A unique point that often times confuse beginners is the value in the setting of the aperture. A small number setting for the aperture inverts to a wider opening, and as the values are lowered, the more the opening is narrowed. For instance, an f/1 aperture setting makes for a wider aperture than an f/22 setting.

Each lens has its own maximum and minimum aperture setting. The value written on the lens (such as an f/3.5-5.6) is the maximum (widest) aperture possible for that lens.

SHUTTER SPEED

Shutter speed is the duration the camera will open its sensors to absorb light. The shutter speed value is in seconds or fractions of seconds. Usually, the shutter speed is in the range of 1/4000 second to 30 seconds. Shutter speed variations are set from the camera body, not the lens.

Besides affecting the quantity of incoming light, the shutter speed also affect the resulting photograph in two respects:

- Fast Shutter speeds freezes moving objects.

- Slow shutter speeds capture the motion of the objects on an ongoing basis until the sensor closes.

In practice, high shutter speed is used to freeze motions of a moving object, such as for photo coverage of sports events. Alternatively, slow shutter speeds are used to record motion effects, such as for capturing the flow of a waterfall.

Also, in respect to the capturing of light, slow shutter speed can also help in capturing a bright nighttime sky.

ISO

ISO is the level of sensitivity of the sensor towards light. The ISO value usually starts from 50, 80, or 100 and doubles until 3200 or more. Low ISO means low sensitivity of the sensor towards light, and as the digits increase, so does the sensitivity level.


Large digit ISO, or also called high ISO, can lower the quality of the photograph because of the appearance of spots called “noise.” Noise will appear like sand and the photo will lose fine details. But for difficult conditions (such as indoor photography with low lighting conditions), high ISO is often necessary.

In the era of analog cameras, ISO was also known as ASA. In the analog era, ASA depends on the film inserted into the camera. But now a days, ISO can be set as one sees fit by toggling the ISO setting of the camera.

  
By experimenting with the three main camera settings (exposure triangle), the photograph can be manipulated into being dark, bright, or in between. The brightness of the end result will of course depend on one’s taste.

You can also simulate the use of ISO, shutter speed, and apertur on this site CAMERASIM .This SLR simulator will help you as an aid to understanding the relationship between ISO speed, aperture, shutter speed, and distance affect the outcome of your digital photos.

Tips: RAW vs JPEG, which one is better?

I shoot RAW T-shirt from www.froknowsphoto.com

RAW and JPG refer to the two different file types your camera can produce.

RAW

– RAW file is the unedited (unprocessed) image data that you digital SLR camera captures every time you take a photo. Because RAW files are unprocessed, they come out looking flat and dark. RAW images need to be viewed and processed using your camera’s software or in more robust commonly used software like Photoshop, Lightroom, Aperture, etc prior to being ready for display or print.

JPEG

– JPEG files are processed right within the camera. How exactly they are processed varies from model to model. While color temperature and exposure are set based on your camera settings when the image is shot, the camera will also process the image to add blacks, contrast, brightness, noise reduction, sharpening (which you can see in the example above) and then render the file to a compressed JPEG. These files are finished and can be viewed and printed immediately after shot.

It seems to be one of the biggest debates in digital photography–what’s better: RAW or JPEG? Who wins?
Some pro photographers say JPEG: you should always know the perfect settings for a photo. And others say always shoot in RAW: it’s better quality and you have more power to change things later on.Well, I think both formats have advantages and disadvantages, so rather than take one side for everything, I’ll run through some of the key differences between them, and then suggest when each format makes sense.

RAW vs JPEG

RAW

- Allows maximum control in post-processing
- Allows you to change white balance later without any loss of quality
- Allows you to change exposure, saturation, sharpness, curves, etc with less quality loss than you’d experience with JPEG
- larger filesize means you’ll fill up your memory card faster, and it’ll take longer to download images to your computer
- can only take a few shots in a burst before filling up your camera’s buffer
- Require special programs to convert into the JPG format
- Require powerful computers to view and edit
- Can’t be instantly e-mailed or uploaded to online galleries
- Require time and effort to “develop”

JPEG

- Any post-processing will result in quality loss (especially exposure adjustments).Less control over the way the final image appears
- Harder to correct mistakes of color and exposure
- Smaller filesize means you can fit more on a memory card (usually twice as many), and you’ll download images faster to your computer
- Allows you to shoot significantly more shots in a burst
- Easy to view and edit with any image editing program
- Easy to modify to e-mail to friends
- Easy to upload to online galleries

When Do I Use RAW?

Shooting in RAW usually makes the most sense, if your goal is to get the highest quality image possible. It’s especially important for landscape shots, where white balance is often a problem.

Journalistic shooting.

If you are shooting journalistically, meaning you are shooting in fast moving situations that are constantly changing in terms of lighting, scenes, backgrounds, subjects, etc then you need to be shooting RAW because nobody has the ability to shoot the “perfect exposure” every time

- Need additional range and tonal detail.

If you are shooting landscapes, nature, or virtually any scene that has a high Dynamic Range, then you want to be shooting in RAW to allow you to have additional post production flexibility to darken (burn) the highlights, while raising (dodging) the shadows, and properly tone-map an image.

When Do I Use JPEG?

With all the benefits of RAW, it may seem like the clear winner for everything. However, there’s one property of JPEGs that may make them the winner in some situations. With JPEG you can shoot a lot more photos in a burst, than you can with RAW. When is this useful? Wildlife. Any time you’re photographing a quick moving subject, you can significantly increase your chances of getting a sharp photo by simply taking more shots.

-Personal use

The rule here is that you don’t want to be spending crazy amounts of time processing images when the differences are going to be negligible and go unnoticed. Know your audience, know your situation, know your use for the images, and select appropriately.

-Rapid succession burst shooting

Shooting JPEG will allow you to shoot a lot more shots prior to filling the buffer. So, in this situation it is best to switch to JPEG, dial in all of your exposure and temperature settings in camera and fire away.

Conclusion

By now, you should have a strong understanding of the in practice differences between RAW and JPEG file formats. Use this understanding, along with our situational advice to decide which file format best fits your needs for any particular situation. While the RAW format is a super format, that doesn’t mean it is the best format for all situations.

Tips: Buying Used DSLR Flash

Tips for Buying Used DSLR Flash

A flash is pretty much a must-have accessory for a photographer. Because photography itself, “Photos-graphein” literally means drawing with light. Without light, there’d be no pictures.
Buying a new flash of course isn’t a problem because buying something new doesn’t require the need to for detail checking of its condition. Plus, it usually includes warranty. But what about when we’re planning on buying a used flash, with an expired warranty? What are the main things we should check for in order to determine it’s in good working condition or not?

The following are a few things you should do before you buy a used flash:

- Don’t buy a flash without trying it out first.

Buying used merchandise only via sites like eBay could be an alternative because it’s usually offered at a cheap price, but it’s still best to physically check the flash before a buy. But then you can be more confident with the buy if you personally know the seller, if the seller has a good reputation, or if the seller offers a warranty with the sell.

- Cek the Flash’s Physical Condition

Check whether the physical condition of the flash body is still great or if there are any defects/ scratches/ cracks etc.

- Download the Manual

Down the e-manual of the exact type of flash you’re about to buy if the manual isn’t included in the buy. This manual helps you in knowing in detail the features the flash has and all the buttons it has in its body. With that knowledge in mind, you’ll know which features to tests and what you need to do to be sure that the flash is working properly.

- Check the battery and cable sync sockets

Check for any corrosions or spots such as residue of battery leakage in the battery socket. Things like these can cause electrical surge and damage flash performance.

- Check the lamp

Check whether or not the flash lamp is still in normal working condition. Usually, a flash has a “Test” button that’ll ignite the flash without having to be attached to a camera body.

- Check whether or not the glass layer is fried

Examine the glass layer in front of the flash lamp. Check for any yellowish stains on its surface. This is a burn residue. If you see any, chances are the flash has passed its prime or the flash lamp’s been burnt out before. A good flash is a flash with a translucent white glass layer.

- Check the Recycle time

The recycle time is the time it takes for a flash to recharge its power from an inactive state to a state ready to be used. Check whether or not the flash has normal recycle times. Check normal standard recycle time in the manual or internet references. If the recycle time between ready states of a flash is too long, then most likely the capacitor component is past its prime.

- Power output

Check the power output of the flash, starting from the lowest power setting to the highest. A defective flash usually is stuck in a certain power setting. For instance, it may only ignite in full power or in its lowest power setting.

- Check the bounce card and diffuser

Some flashes are equipped with a bounce card and diffuser that’s tucked into the head of the flash. Check whether or not they’re still in tact.

- Test the flash while mounted on a camera body

Test the flash by mounting it onto a camera body. If the flash you’re planning to buy is a TTL (Through The Lens), make sure the TTL functions normally. A normal-working TTL flash will automatically adjust its power output settings to accommodate with the light meter and camera lens. When the flash is mounted, it can also usually be set via the menu settings in the camera body. Test if all these are working properly or not.

- Check the zoom head

The zoom head is the part that moves back and forth (zooms) in a flash that functions to adjust the reflector inside the flash. This zoom head moves according to the zoom of the lens. Try to zoom your camera lens in and out. If the zoom head follows the zoom of the lens, then the flash is working properly.

- Test the AF assist (if that’s one of its features)

High-end flashes are usually equipped with an AF assist light. That’s a tiny light that assists in finding the accurate focus when photographing in low lighting. This AF assist is usually red-colored.

- Test the wireless IR functions (if that’s one of its features)

High-end flashes also usually has the wireless IR function. This is where a flash is triggered via a transmitter on a camera or a wireless transmitter; such as the ST-E2 (Canon) or the WT-4A (Nikon).

- Test the optical sensor (if that’s one of its features)

Some flashes have the optical sensor/ light sensor built in. An optical sensor is a light sensor in a flash that triggers the flash if the flash receives light. Optical sensors only work properly in an indoor setting.

Pre-wedding Photography Tips

Pre-wedding Photography Tips

    Nowadays, it seems, a pre-wedding photo session has become a ritual that completes a wedding ceremony event package, and lack there of will seem imperfect.
    The use of these pre-wedding photos varies. They are usually incorporated in the design invitations, displayed at the reception, and may sometimes be put as a slideshow exhibition during the reception.
    To ensure a successful pre-wedding photo shoot, you should implement the following:

1. Organize an advance meeting with the client, discussing photo shoot concepts and location.

   If possible, give the client feedback on concepts that you feel would work for them and the proper time for the shoot. If the client already has a concept in mind and has set a time, you as the photographer should reevaluate and make adjustments as you see fit. If adjustments are needed, you should be able to provide solutions.
   A possible scenario would be: The client wants a glamorous themed photo shoot wearing a white wedding dress in an outdoor setting at 1 in the afternoon. This may pose as a bit of problem because the afternoon sun may wash out the pale color of the dress. You should advice them to reschedule the photo shoot to be done in the morning or evening when the sun isn’t as unforgiving.

2. Give the client options.

   Offer special packages to the client. These different packages may have variations in prices or in the amount of photo prints, which will affect the end result received by the client. For instance, you may offer a “gold package” which includes 50 pieces of photographs, an exclusive album, make-up services, and transportation. Then, you can also give them an alternate choice of a “silver package” which includes 20 pieces of photographs, a mini album, and frames.
   You could draw up the plans for these packages as you see fit would interest various types of clients.

3. Survey the determined location beforehand.

   Surveying the location is very important before you carry on with a pre-wedding photo session. Survey the location at least once before the day of the shoot. When the shoot location is a public facility, don’t forget to take care of various grating of permissions and licensing that may be needed. This last point needs to be paid close attention to, so you can avoid any embarrassment of getting evicted from the premises during the shoot. If this happens, it may scar your credibility as a photographer.

4. Always prepare a plan B.

   Shooting an outdoor shoot, vulnerable to the elements, may result in various scenarios of unpredictability. Weather may pose as one of the most unpredictable and uncontrollable of these elements. Mother nature can roll out its rainclouds whenever she pleases. So, to acclimate, should you move to a different location or should you change to an indoor photo shoot? You should have answers to these worst-case scenario questions before the day of the shoot.

5. Choose and use the right equipment.

   We can determine which equipment we should use based on the location survey assessments. For instance, based on the conditions of the location, you may need to bring high-powered lighting gear, telephoto lenses, wide lenses, or other supporting props. If you intend to be a professional photographer, then don’t hesitate to use professional equipment. It may be more expensive, but it’ll give maximum results, and theseequipment serve as long-term investments that will support your career.

6. Dress to impress.

   Dress professionally. Clients will certainly feel more confident when their photographer is dapper appearance (wearing a collared shirt, shoes, and proper trousers, for instance). Appearing well dressed in front of the client will in turn make them feel more confident in you as a professional photographer. Appearance does create a strong first impression.

7. Pack a lunch.

   Pre-wedding photo shoot usually take up to a full day and it will be draining for both the photographer and the clients themselves. So, make sure you pack suitable lunch and especially load up on the beverages.

8. Calculate the detailed expenses.

   Calculate the expenses of every aspect in the execution of the photo shoot. These range from the expenses of transportation, location permits (if any are necessary), photo prints, to the cost of any make-up artists you may hire. Calculate explicitly so you don’t end up turning a loss.

9. Finish on time.

   Finish the job on time, from the process of editing to developing prints. Agree on a specific deadline beforehand, taking into consideration the time you would need to finish the editing and developing of these photographs.

Nikon D7000 vs Canon EOS 60D Which One is Better

Nikon D7000 Vs Canon EOS 60D

This is a fierce battle between two middle class DSLRs for this year. Nikon’s D7000 (D90’s successor) goes against Canon’s EOS 60D (somewhat of 50D’s successor, though in some aspects, the real 50D successor is the 7D). Although for starters I will that they are equally good, of course the features may differ slightly. Read on to read the duel of these two giants.


  
Judging from appearances, the Nikon D7000 looks a little smaller than the Canon EOS 60D. The main difference being that the Nikon D7000 uses a magnesium-alloy material, while the Canon EOS 60D uses a polycarbonate resin (plastic). Both has similar designs, especially in the placements of the mode dial and the top LCD screens. The mid-class Nikons has a scroll dial placed on the front and can be toggled using the index finger; while the Canon always places their scroll dials near the shutter button.


  
The Nikon D7000 lens kit is slightly shorter than the Canon EOS 60D kit lens, making the Canon EOS 60D look longer. From the above image, it’s also evident that the top LCD screen design of the Canon EOS 60D isn’t shaped as a rectangle, while the design grip of the Nikon D7000 is smaller and narrower than the Canon EOS 60D. The ON/OFF switch of the Nikon D7000 encircles the shutter speed (as usual), while the Canon EOS 60D now places the ON/OFF switch near the mode dial on the left.


  
What’s mainly visible on the back is the placement of the Nikon D7000 buttons. These buttons consist of 4 buttons lined to the left of the screen; while the Canon EOS 60D with its rotatable screen system makes it not possible for any buttons to be on the left of the screen. The rotate dial on the back that is operated by the thumb differs in design, in that the Canon EOS 60D uses a wheel system like how is seen on professional-class Canon DSLRs.
Before discussing the differences in features and performances of the two, it’s better to see the head-to-head summary of the Nikon D7000 versus the Canon EOS 60D. They are the following:

  
Judging from the sensors, even though the Nikon D7000 loses in terms of resolutions, but in reality the difference between 16MP and 18MP isn’t significant (16 MP = 4928 x 3264 while 18 MP = 5184 x 3456). The burst performance of the two are also relatively equal between 5 to 6 fps; which are not too fast but not too slow. Fro the above table it’s apparent that the two are tied in the maximum shutter speed and flash sync; with a side note that the FP mode of the flash sync on the Nikon D7000 can be increased to 1/320 second. The ISO capabilities of the two are both at a maximum of ISO 6400 (maximum setting for adequate photographs) but both can also be forced to take shots beyond that setting with a risk of bad results. Therefore, it seems that ISO 128000 or ISO 25600 isn’t really necessary.

On paper, the Nikon D7000 is superior when it comes to auto focus and metering, with 39 AF points (9 of which are cross-type) and 2015 pixels of metering plus accurate 3D AF tracking. On the other hand, the EOS 60D only has a 9-point AF; all of which are cross-type (even the EOS 7D only has 19 point AF). As for metering, the 60D relies on a 63 area zone metering. In practice, a higher digit does mean better accuracy, but the results highly depends on the photographer and shooting conditions.

Key advantages of the Nikon D7000

One thing that is indisputable is the professional feel when seeing and using the Nikon D7000. Professionals can even rely on the sturdy body, covered with weather seals as well as dual memory slots. Another thing, the existence of the various buttons and directs controls are a favorite amongst the professional photographers.

Key advantages of the Canon EOS 60D

If the purpose of purchasing a DSLR is to maximize performance of video recording, then the 60D surpasses the Nikon D7000 in that respect. With the foldable and rotatable LCD screen, shooting video or photographs with the live view mode is made easier. And then there are the various video resolution options and the maximum frame rate of 1920 x 1080 pixels and 30 fps. Another key advantage of the 60D is the more affordable price. Right now, the 60D kit is priced at around $1000 USD while the Nikon D7000 is priced at around $1250 USD.

Minor flaws of the Nikon D7000

Nothing is ever perfect. There are a few minor flaws that is quite unfortunate for a DSLR as wholesome as the D7000. Some of these flaws are the absence of the histogram in the live view (even all point-and-shoot cameras has this feature) and the optic viewfinder does not showcase the ISO setting (the 60D has this feature).

Minor flaws of the Canon EOS 60D

For a camera that inherited all the feature of the big two-digit EOS series, Canon shouldn’t have removed the micro AF Adjust feature for the Canon EOS 60D. Without this feature, front-focus or back-focus occurs when using some lenses and it can’t be recalibrated (a feature available in Nikon D7000).

Conclusion

Both cameras are great and can be purchased as your first DSLR or as an upgrade (for example, from a Nikon D40/D60/D70/D80/D90/D3000/D5000 or EOS 400D/450D/500D) but if you already own a 40D or 50D, it’s better to upgrade to an EOS 7D. The quality of the photographs and videos from these two DSLRs can’t be doubted. Both sensors are capable of producing high resolutions and the video features are enough to even make a professional-looking video clips. Performances of both are also quite fast, especially if the photographer can maximize the use of the buttons, rotary controls, and levers located on different sides of the camera body.
The Nikon D7000 should be more accurate when it comes to auto focus and metering, even though the 60D can’t lose when it comes to real-world practice. The best choice can be made by referring to your budget, plans of usage (more outdoor or indoor studio shoots), plans for lenses (if purchasing DSLR body only) and if a foldable LCD screen is something you would need.

Tips: Rule of Third

Rule of third

The “Rule of Thirds” one of the first things that budding digital photographers learn about in classes on photography and rightly so as it is the basis for well balanced and interesting shots. The rule of thirds is a compositional rule of thumb in visual arts such as painting, photography and design. The rule states that an image should be imagined as divided into nine equal parts by two equally-spaced horizontal lines and two equally-spaced vertical lines, and that important compositional elements should be placed along these lines or their intersections. Proponents of the technique claim that aligning a subject with these points creates more tension, energy and interest in the composition than simply centering the subject would.

The basics of the rule of thirds:

- 9 equal boxes
- 4 intersecting points
- 2 vertical lines
- 2 horizontal lines


  
By placing interesting pieces of your image at these points, you can make your image well balanced and help let viewers naturally move through your image.

As you’re taking an image you would have done this in your mind through your viewfinder or in the LCD display that you use to frame your shot.

The theory is that if you place points of interest in the intersections or along the lines that your photo becomes more balanced and will enable a viewer of the image to interact with it more naturally. Studies have shown that when viewing images that people’s eyes usually go to one of the intersection points most naturally rather than the center of the shot – using the rule of thirds works with this natural way of viewing an image rather than working against it

Use this rules, is not just to photograph something that have one object, like if you was take a photo models, you place the model in the 1/3 of the frame, but you can use this rules for scenary photograp or landscape. use this rule to make a better composition.




Once you have got the hang of the Rule of Thirds you will very quickly want to break it ! This is fine. As I said earlier these ‘rules’ are best used as guidelines and if you can create a better image by bending or ignoring rules then fire away.

Tips: DEP and A-DEP Modes Explanation on DSLR

DEP and A-DEP Modes Explanation on DSLR - A DEP Dial on DSLR

Difference between DEP (AV, A on some camera’s) and A-DEP modes

Depending on the brand of your digital camera, you may have noticed 2 similar yet different modes on the dial, called DEP and A-DEP. DEP may also be sybolised by the letters AV (Canon) or A (Nikon). This clever A-DEP function allows the Canon camera to pick an F-stop that will render all subjects covered by the AF points in focus, and it will also set the appropriate shutter speed.

How to use A-DEP mode?

    To use automatic depth of field, turn your camera’s mode dial to A-DEP. Look through your viewfinder and point at the object you want to photograph, then press the shutter button half way down to focus. All the area you see covered by the focal points that flash or light up, will be in focus. Or in otherwords, will be within the automatic depth of field. The camera will choose the best aperture for that specific circumstance when you take the shot.
    DEP (AV, A) and A-DEP modes, basically do the same thing, in that they allow you to set an aperture so you can control the depth of field seen within a photograph. Or in other words, it allows you to set how much of the scenery you want in focus and how much you want blured. The difference between the two camera modes, is how they achieve this.

What do the letters A-DEP, stand for or mean?

A-DEP stands for ‘automatic depth of field’, or ‘auto depth of field’. Meaning, the camera sets the depth of field automactically. When the camera is set on A-DEP, the photographer doesn’t need to set an aperture F number as the camera does this for them.

What do the letters DEP, AV and A stand for or mean?

The letters DEP stands for ‘depth of field automatic exposure’. Sometimes DEP is replaced with the letters AV or A, meaning ‘aperture priority’. When you set your camera to these modes, you also need to set an aperture F number.