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| | | | FAQ Revisions | Editors: tmpchaos  , DavisPhotog , climbers
Last modified on 2009-07-20 11:26:21
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3.1.1 Accessories·Must have for any photographer
·Filters: Why and when?
·Auxiliary Lenses
·How to choose a tripod
·Polarizers: Circular or Linear?
·How do you choose a lens?
·Can I make a ring light?
·What are softboxes? Can I make one myself?
·Cameras and flying- is there info?
| | | Things that any photographer should have:
•A few sets of Rechargeable NiMH batteries
•Camera bag
•Tripod
•If your camera can use filters: UV filter, Circular Polarizer
•Lens cleaning kit
•LensPen (also for cleaning)
•Extra media
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by Nick | | | Filters are a thin glass disk that threads onto your lens. The filter is coated with various coatings to modify the light going into the camera somehow. Some of the most common filters are:
Skylight (Or UV)
These filters are the most common.. I suggest buying one for every lens you own, and just keep that puppy on there. It will protect your lens, and help keep UV light off your film without changing the colors. Ever taken a picture of a landscape on a clear day, only to find there to be a light blue haze on the final image, kinda looks like fog? Thats UV.. These filters will help correct that.
Polarizer
Another very common filter. There are 2 main types of Polarizing filters, A linear polarizer, and a Circular polarizer. Difference? You CAN NOT USE a linear polarizer on a camera with auto-focus. You can only use a circular polarizer. Other than that, they both do the same thing.. Cut reflections. These filters are great for shooting on water, snow, or any other reflective surface.. Mount the polarizer, and frame up your image, Next, rotate the polarizer until the reflections are diminished or cut out alltogether. This filter is also great for seriously deepening the color of a clear blue sky, to almost a cobalt blue...
(ednote...polarizers will not cut the reflections from metal)
Neutral density filter (ND2, ND4, ND8)
A filter that cuts all colors of light equally, thereby reducing the total amount of light that enters your camera, without changing the color balance. These things are great.. Ever tried to do a 1 sec exposure (Say of a running waterfall) in bright daylight, but your camera just wont do it without over-exposing? Slap one of these puppies on, and you can. The different filters relate to how many stops it will cut down the exposure.. ND2 will cut 1 stop (let 1/2 of the light through) ND4 will cut 2 stops (let 1/4 of the light through) and so on. Also very useful for shooting with a wide aperture (for shallow DOF) on a bright day.
Close-up filters
"Filter" is kind of an incorrect name for these guys, they're actually a magnifying glass that you thread on to the front of your lens for doing Macro work. Usually these come in a set of 3 or 4, each with varying strength of magnification.. These filters allow you to focus on subjects closer than the lens alone would allow. Very useful if your camera / lens doesn't have a macro function.
Special Effects filters
There are other filters, Color filters, Transition filters, refracting filters, Soft focus filters, Prism filters and such that do all kinds of things. Halos, Rainbows, Kalideascope and a whole host of effects can be done with different special effects filters. There are so many different types, that its impossible to list them here, I hope this just gives you enough info to get interested, and do research on your own as to the types of filters you want to use.
Remember: Only get filters that are the right diameter for your lens. There should be a marking on your lens telling you the filter diameter, But if in doubt, Take the camera with you to a photo shop..
Get a few filters, and experiment, above all else, HAVE FUN!!
Tiffen has an informative site on their filters.
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by Jason edited by tmpchaos
last modified: 2002-12-22 05:52:21 | | | Majority of digital cameras have a fixed lens which is great for casual snapshots. But a lot of people usually find out that they want to do other things that at times exceed the capabilities of your camera.
For example, sometimes you want to take a photo of something further away, or closer up. A way to solve this problem is to use auxiliary lenses.
Some manufacturers such as Canon, Olympus and Nikon provide accessory lenses that can be used on cameras that have threaded lenses. They usually manufacture telephoto lenses to bring distant objects closer, wide angle lenses to squeeze more into the photo, or macro lenses to magnify the subject to get more detail.
Don't fret if your camera does not have lens threads, sometimes they provide special adapters that allow use of auxiliary lenses.
For example, Olympus C-x0x0 series cameras like the C-4040 can use auxiliary lenses/filters with a CLA-1 adapter (Tiffen makes a similar adapter) while the C-7x0 series like the C-700 can use the special CLA-4 adapter.
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by Nick edited by KeysCapt
last modified: 2003-03-15 21:29:39 | | | There are many choices, just like any other consumer product these days. There is everything from a $10 folding table top tripod, to $500+ professional tripods that a wedding photographer or news reporter might use. However you don't have to break the bank to get something that works.
Why would anybody want a tripod? A few reasons. If you have a camera with a self-timer, you can put that feature to good use with a tripod. Also with the combination of a self-timer and tripod, no longer will you have to ask a complete stranger to take your picture - and have it come out blurred, heads cut off, crooked, etc. And with a tripod you can make sure you don't make those same mistakes yourself. A tripod is also an absolute requirement to avoid blurring if you intend to take pictures in low light situations without a flash, night shots, or long exposures.
Here's what to look for when going shopping:
The tripod should be lightweight and easy to carry. If you get something heavy and awkward, you're less likely to make use of it on a regular basis. Just because you want something lightweight, doesn't mean it has to be weak. Aluminum is the material of choice. It is strong and lightweight.
The tripod should work with your camera. There is an industry standard threaded mounting hole on the bottom of most camera equipment. Better check to make sure, just in case. You'll also want to make sure the tripod is beefy enough to work with your equipment: a large video camera, for example. Some tripods have weight ratings for the equipment they are designed to support. [There are actually 2 different mounting sizes. 3/8" and 1/4" but 3/8" is the consumer standard]
The tripod should be adjustable. There are several areas where you want to look for adjustibility: each leg height should be set individually so you can get the tripod level. The legs should be linked together when they are deployed. [Not necessarily, having independent legs allows for greater flexibility and adaptation to shooting conditions. I prefer un-linked legs and use a tripod head with a level instead of relying on the tripod] This will assist you in getting the tripod level. There should be some sort of height adjustment for the tripod head, independent of the legs. Because once you've got it level, you don't want to fuss with the legs anymore. [Also, look for interchangeable heads. This gives you a lot more flexibility in the long run]
The mounting base should be flexible Besides fitting your camera, the mounting base should be adjustable by 90 degrees to take portrait shots with a still camera. It should be able to be tilted forward and back, and rotated 360 degrees. Level indicators are helpful for setting up, but if the tripod you choose doesn't come with any, you can purchase a round bubble level at the hardware store or photo shop. A quick release base is also handy so you can temporarily remove your expensive equipment from the tripod when moving between shots. It also makes attaching your equipment a lot easier since the screw mounting is on the removable base.
Here is an important piece of advice: NEVER fold a tripod for storage with your equipment attached, especially heavy equipment.
The tripod should be solid when deployed Check that any adjustments you make to the tripod are solid and won't move. Look for tightening knobs on all possible adjustment points to secure the tripod in place. Are the small parts on the tripod made out of plastic or metal? How good are the feet on the end of the legs for gripping wet or uneven surfaces? You can put cut tennis balls or sandbags on the ends of the legs for additional stability if it gets windy or slippery.
Don't sell yourself short Once you start using your tripod for one piece of equipment, you might want to use it with some other piece of equipment, like a video camera. Or may start longing for something more after purchasing that cheap tripod you thought was enough.
Test Drive If you can find a good photo shop in your area, you may be able to try out different tripods with your equipment before you buy.
Bottom line
Once you start using a tripod, you'll feel lost without one and future flexibility is important to consider in your purchase. Without emptying your bank account, of course.
[Be prepared to spend about 100-150$ for a tripod that will do everything you want. It sounds a bit expensive but it will prevent you from needlessly wasting money on several tripods that are inadequate]
Note: This text is also posted at »www.epinions.com/content_1740677252 and was edited and reposted here by the original author.
[Psychephylax additions]
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by MacGyver edited by Nick
last modified: 2003-03-19 10:14:09 | | | Some suppliers, not wanting return hassles, will tell you that you must have a Circular Polarizer if you have an Auto Focus (AF) camera.
This is not always true and it very much depends on your camera’s AF system.
There are many AF cameras that will do just fine with less expensive Linear Polarizers.
Circular Polarizers tend to have a very narrow range around 90 degrees to the light source (direct or glare/reflected). Linear Polarizers, while falling off the further you go past 90 degrees, have an effective range from 65 to 155 degrees.
Your best bet, if you don’t know if your camera can use a Linear Polarizer effectively, is to take your camera to a local retailer and try it before you buy it.
I can say from personal experience that the Fuji S602 does just fine with Linear Polarizers and other Fuji cameras may, too. Give one a try. You may find it works fine with your particular camera and you’ll save some money, too.
Update: A photo binbook about this topic: »www.binbooks.com/books/photo/i/l/5A586AFC8A and a page explaining how they each work: »www.3m.com/market/omc/om_html/te···ex.jhtml
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by Hayward edited by climbers
last modified: 2004-04-20 12:03:52 | | | This tells you the qualities to look for in both build and optics:
»194.100.88.243/petteri/pont/How_···ens.html
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by climbers
last modified: 2005-02-06 19:31:43 | | | If you have a hand at crafts/electronics, or simply have extra patience, this isn't a terribly difficult thing to do. This Website gives step by step details on how to build a 'poor man's ring light.'
Note that these are not strobes, as you may find for sale from places like B&H. They are a macro ring light version of hot lights - they stay on the entire time while you're shooting. LED's however, put out a lot of light, so there are few disadvantages to doing this, other than reduced working hours before having to switch batteries.
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by Gemologist edited by DavisPhotog
last modified: 2005-07-21 13:16:33 | | | A softbox is a kind of diffuser used to evenly illuminate photographic subjects, helping to reduce glare and hard shadow effects.
This Website demonstrates step by step how to make a very inexpensive soft box for placing your subjects in.
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by Gemologist edited by DavisPhotog
last modified: 2005-07-21 13:18:14 | | | Take a look at this thread: »Where do we go from here, now that ...
For more info on camera bags that may be of use, see here: »Re: Where do we go from here, now that ...
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by tmpchaos |
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