What's the difference between an SLR and a Compact Camera?
The most obvious difference visually is the size. Compact cameras, as the name suggests, are small and will usually fit into a pocket or handbag. Digital SLR's on the other hand are quite large and heavy by comparison.
The really benefit of a Digital SLR in the ability to change one lens for another. This allows you to fit a telephoto or longer zoom lens so you can take pictures of objects , maybe birds or small animal, from further away without them appearing as a dot on the picture. Most serious amateurs and professional photographers would use an SLR.
If you only ever plan to take snapshots then buy a digital compact camera and keep it with you at all times.
I'm a complete beginner will I still be able to attend on of your compact camera courses?
Absolutely. All of of digital photography courses will start at the very beginning. We start by exploring your camera, looking at the menus and how to access it. We then look at the various camera functions including ISO, white balance, flash, using the self timer and much more.
I have an hybrid Digital SLR with an electronic viewfinder so which course should I attend?
Technically these cameras are nearer to compact cameras in as much that the sensor size is smaller than a Digital SLR and you cannot remove the lens. The similarity come with the fact that you do view the image directly through the lens via the electronic viewfinder. The advantage of these cameras over a normal compact is they usually have a 10 -15 times optical zoom compared to the normal 3 to 5 times zoom on a standard compact camera.
I would like to give a digital camera course as a surprise present. Do you do Gift Vouchers?
We certainly do. To buy a gift voucher for a digital photography course simply choose the course you would like to attend and drop me an email with the persons name and the occasion. You can send a cheque or pay online.
We will design a custom gift voucher made out to the person specified post it back to you in time for the special day. 7 - 10 days notice would be appreciated.
What are the benefits of increasing the ISO setting and does this increase grain.
To Answer the second part of your question first the answer is "Yes"
This is quite a complicated question which is covered in much greater depth with examples on the courses.
The first part is more complicated because it involves several other factors. The ISO setting is a measure of the camera sensors sensitivity to light. Generally speaking the higher the ISO number then the lower the light levels you can take photographs.
Increasing the ISO rating allows the camera to choose a higher shutter speed so you can freeze movement on fast moving subjects. You could also choose a smaller aperture which will allow more depth of field so more of your picture will be sharp.
The downside of increasing the ISO is increased digital noise ( grain). The level at which this noise become unacceptable varies from camera to camera but DSLRs usually are better at higher ISO settings than compact cameras.
How do I overcoming time lag to shoot fast moving objects?
The delay between pressing the shutter and the camera taking the picture is one of the most annoying traits of a compact digital camera. This delay tends to be a lot shorter on digital SLRs.
It is possible to minimize this delay by using what is called focus lock. This pre-focuses the camera so the shutter lag is kept to a minimum. This is an example pictures from the last digital compact camera course.
How do I freeze movement and blur the background?
Freezing action requires a fast shutter speed of above 1/500 second. Using a fast shutter speed and a wide aperture, like f4, will freeze movement and give a blurred background. The effect is more obvious if you use a telephoto lens. You can also blur the background by using a technique called panning.
If you want to keep a sharp background you need to use a small aperture such as f11 or f16 to increase the depth of field. You will have to use a slower shutter speed to compensate for less light reaching the sensor.
These subjects are covered in much greater depth on the Digital SLR Course.
