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Transcription

2 CDS
FULL VERSION OF THE BRILLIANT EXTENSIS PORTFOLIO!
PC & MAC
WWW.DCMAG.CO.UK
ISSUE#06
The definitive guide to better photos
132 pages of photo ideas,
reviews and image-editing
tips inside!
2
2 AVOID PHOTO MISTAKES
2 6 WEB ALBUM PROGRAMS RATED
GET INSPIRED
BY SPRING!
50 TOP
CAMERAS TESTED
Our springtime best buys revealed inside
Exposure, parallax, composition & focus problems banished!
Discover the best in our definitive review
It’s time to go outdoors! We reveal everything you need
to take better people, nature and wildlife photos
7
SIGMA SD9
First SLR with revolutionary
Foveon chip on test
using layers,
Add high-impact effects to your images
e, p58
guid
masks and blending tools: step-by-step
04
7
Stylish, compact 5MP – is this
another winner from Minolta?
£4.99
MINOLTA DIMAGE F300
APRIL 2003
7
Keenly priced 4MP camera
with 8x optical zoom
9 771479 001003
HP PHOTOSMART 850
CREATE! AMAZING
PHOTOSHOP PICS
PRINTED IN THE UK
2
8
Rob Mead
Acting Editor
Rob’s been writing about technology
for the past eight years, his work
having appeared in T3, Digital Home,
The Mail On Sunday and FHM
8
Andrea Thompson
Deputy Editor
Andrea is the newest member of our
team. She is a trained photographer
and has worked on photography
magazines for several years
8
Ed Davis
Our award-winning digital darkroom
expert has years of commercial
photography experience and is a
member of the National Association
of Photoshop Professionals
8
Tim Daly
Photographer and writer
Tim is one of the UK’s leading digital
photography experts. He’s written
numerous books on the subject and
his photographs have been exhibited
across Europe
8
8
8
8
Steve Bavister
Photographer and editor
Steve is one of the UK’s best-known
photographic writers, having edited
and published Practical Photography
in the past. He now writes for a
variety of photography mags
Derek Lea
Digital artist and contributor to the
New Masters of Photoshop. Derek
has one numerous awards for his
work and has written this month’s
Photo Surrealism project
.Aidan O’Rourke
Technical expert
Aidan is a contributor to the
Manchester Evening News. He
lectures on digital photography
around the UK
Mark Harris
Photographer and journalist
Mark has been writing about
photography for over ten years and
has performed product testing duties
at both Which and T3. This month he
looks at web photo album software
;
ISSUE 7 ON SALE
10TH APRIL
2
4
MEET
YOUR
TEAM
STARTHERE
Welcome…
T
he arrival of spring is always a welcome sight for photographers. After months
cooped up at home, we can finally venture outdoors and explore the riot of colour
and new life that surrounds us. This month’s cover feature gives you the inside
track on making the most of the opportunities that spring brings, from shooting outdoor
portraits to capturing extreme close-ups using your digital camera’s macro capabilities. Try out
the techniques explored on page 16 and I’m confident that you won’t be disappointed with
the results. Don’t forget we’d love to see any pictures you take – simply email them to
[email protected] and we’ll print our favourites in the next issue.
Elsewhere in the mag you’ll find plenty of tips and techniques for improving your photos,
from basic composition, exposure and lighting problems (page 79) to enhancing your images
post-shoot using Photoshop, Photoshop Elements and Paint Shop Pro (page 57). And if you
fancy posting your pics on the web for your friends and relations to see, we’ve tested eight
web photo album packages that’ll help you simplify the whole process (page 41).
Throughout the issue you’ll also notice that we’ve introduced key links to our website at
www.dcmag.co.uk, where you can find out more information about a particular topic, post
your own reviews or even join one of the many online discussions in our forum. And don’t
forget that if you have a comment about either the magazine or the website, please email
us at the address below. We’d love to hear from you.
All the best.
Rob Mead, Acting Editor
[email protected]
Our promise
to our readers
We will show you how to capture and
create better pictures, give clear,
independent buying recommendations
on the latest kit, and deliver two
CDs or one DVD packed with the best
PC software.
We use boxes, tips, quick fixes, quality
photography, walkthroughs and diagrams
to show you how to improve your
photographic and image-editing skills
We have a cast-iron policy of editorial
independence. All our kit is reviewed assold. We discourage our journalists from
accepting gifts from advertisers.
We welcome your opinions on the
magazine, ideas for articles, photography,
thoughts and questions.
Send them in today – see the email
addresses below.
c
Departments
We want your letters, ideas,
photography, articles, tips and more!
Write in today to the following areas:
Issues with your discs
[email protected]
Your letters
[email protected]
Photos for our galleries
[email protected]
Events, ideas, places to visit
[email protected]
Camera/photo help and advice
[email protected]
Articles/ideas for publication
[email protected]
Visit our website today!
www.digitalcameramagazine.co.uk
Customer services/subscriptions
[email protected]
2 HOW WE RETOUCHED THE COVER IMAGE
8
8
The original picture of our cover model had
way too much magenta, although there was
no detail in the yellow channel at all. To fix
the problem in Photoshop, we took image
data out of the magenta channel and added
yellow to alter the girl’s flesh tones to make
her look more natural. We then flipped the
image so the girl’s face was on the right side
of the page, giving us room to add our
coverlines and make space for this month’s
outer bag. The gap on the left side was
filled by cloning the grass and flowers to
achieve the final result.
DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE
005
Contents DCM#06
What’s hot inside your magazine this April
GET INSPIRED
BY SPRING!
Everything you need to know about taking
people, nature and wildlife photos
■ Capture the natural world
■ Bring the colours in those early blooms to life
■ Improve your outdoor portrait shots
STARTS PAGE
16
PAGE 58
Photo surrealism
We show you how to
create this amazing
alien image using
Photoshop layers,
masks and tools –
just follow our
step-by-step guide
Getup&Go*
More inspirational places for you
to visit with your camera – from
the gothic splendour of Whitby
Abbey to Cape Cornwall
Give an illusion of
depth with blurring
effects and colour
enhancement
PAGE
* UK editions only
006
Create 3D effects
in PSP7
PULL OUT
SECTION –
FIND IT
AFTER p66
72
22
HOT SHOTS
PAGE 08
Kit reviews
The UK’s definitive reviews
package every month
HP PHOTOSMART
850 p26
Your coverdiscs
MINOLTA DIMAGE
F300 p28
The most comprehensive mediamanagement software on the market
FUJIFILM FINEPIX
S602 PRO p32
Organise your photos, sounds and videos and share
them across different networks and platforms
ON DISC 1
SIGMA SD-9
p34
SIX FLASHGUNS
p38
Your images
21 pages of image-editing tips
SOLVING FLASH
PROBLEMS p68
PHOTO CLINIC
REJUVENATION p64
MAKE PEOPLE LOOK CAMERA
YOUNGER IN PSP p74 TECHNIQUES p80
FULL Extensis Portfolio 5.0
desktop edition, PC/Mac
DEMO Extensis Portfolio
6.0 (PC)
TOURS 5 x 3D tours
TEST SHOTS main cameras
VIDEO TUTORIALS Imageediting techniques
95
PAGE
ON DISC 2
FULL Breeze browser
1.4b (PC)
FULL iView Media LE
(Mac)
DEMO iView Media Pro
(Mac)
DEMO Breeze Browser
2.4c (PC)
ON DVD
FULL ThumbsPlus 3.3
(PC)
DEMO Photoshop 7
(Mac)
DEMO Deneba Canvas 8
(Mac)
PLUS all the software
on the CD edition discs!
Regulars
EYEWITNESS
Hotshots gallery
Frontline news
p08
p12
YOUR PHOTOS & LETTERS
Trailblazers
Day in the life
Viewfinder
p48
p50
p53
OFFERS
Subscribe!
Upgrade your software
p76
p95
GETUP&GO
Pullout section
THIS ISSUE WE
SHOW YOU HOW TO…
Extensis Portfolio 5
OLYMPUS C-5050
ZOOM p30
TRAILBLAZERS
PAGE 48
HELP AND ADVICE
Photo Clinic
Your questions answered
p64
p84
FOLD-OUT SECTION AFTER PAGE 66
North Yorkshire’s monastic trail
The gothic glory of Whitby Abbey
The magic of Cape Cornwall
Steam engines
Taking silhouette photos
DEALER BANK
Suppliers
p102-119
TAKE BETTER PICTURES
Capturing the natural world this spring
Using light and shadow
Choosing the best angles
Taking abstract shots
Photographing flowers
Making the most of spring colours
Close focusing
Photographing birds
Springtime portraits
Avoiding common photo mistakes
Using Macro lenses for close up shots
Exposure control
Image diffusion
Taking professional portrait photos
p16
p16
p16/17
p18
p19
p19
p20
p20
p21
p80
p82
p84
p85
p86
IMPROVE YOUR IMAGE-EDITING SKILLS
Using Photoshop to create a surreal image
Restore a ripped/stained photo
Correcting flash errors in Elements
Using Photoshop filters
Simple 3D effects in Paint Shop Pro
Making people look younger in Paint Shop Pro
p58
p64
p68
p70
p72
p74
USE YOUR PC BETTER
Bitmap, JPEG and TIFF image files explained
Converting image files
Freeware image-editing tools online
Using watercolour paper for prints
p90
p91
p92
p94
HOTSHOTSTURNOVER
Every issue, we print the best digital photography we
can find. Turn over now and see some of the shots that
have inspired us this issue…
2
007
Hotshots
Images with impact
SHOT OF THE MONTH
BIRD OF PARADISE Frank Whittle
“The picture is of some bird of paradise flowers,
taken last summer on what is known as the Balcon
de Europa, in Nerja, Spain.”
FujiFilm FinePix 602
[e] [email protected]
02
03
04
05
02
WIRED ICE Faye White
“I took this shot when wire, which is used to
keep leaves from falling into a garden fountain
basin, became encased in ice.” FujiFilm S2 Pro
[w] www.pbase.com/fayewhite
03
LIFEGUARD STATION Richard Hughes
“Taken on New Brighton Beach, Merseyside.”
Nikon D100
04
REFLECTIONS Colin Spencer
“Taken in the Dordogne, France.”
Nikon CoolPix 5700
05
TUMBLING (II) June Marie Sobrito
Minolta Dimage 7
009
2ProfileMe and my camera
JAMES WILSON
www.wilsonpictures.co.uk
James started his career as a professional
photographer after working as an assistant
to a fashion photographer in Italy. On his
return to the UK, he worked as a press
photographer for a local newspaper.
James’s career soon progressed and he
started working for the national press
through a local press agency. "It was at this
point that I was introduced to digital
cameras and started to use a Nikon D1.
From that moment my approach to
photography completely changed. I have
not looked back – I love the spontaneity, the
post-production using Photoshop and the
way that photography has become
accessible to everyone"
01
03
02
James decided to undertake a post graduate
course in photography. This enabled him to
make the move from press to editorial/
studio photography. "I was fortunate enough
to be offered a job in a studio for a major
publisher. This studio championed the use of
digital cameras and is now fully digital."
@
NOW SEND US YOURS!
Email us a 100K JPEG thumbnail of your best shots!
Please remember to include your name, the title
of the shot and the digital camera you used.
[email protected]
01
ICE HOCKEY
02
Nikon D1, 80-200 lens at f2.8/250 shutter speed
03
LIZARD
© INS News Group ltd
Nikon D1, 17-35 lens up against a reptile tank
010
SARAH
Nikon D1, super wide-angle lens, fill-in flash
04
FLOODS
Nikon D1, 80-200 lens on 2,000sec shutter speed
04
Frontline
NIKON COOLPIX SQ
Nikon launches three new
compact models
■ See below
BEHIND THE IMAGE:
ANTI WAR PROTESTS
THE FUTURE OF DIGITAL
PHOTOGRAPHY?
We look around the world
■ See page 13
A camera in your sunglasses
■ see page 14
Send in your news! Email us today at [email protected]
Coolpix trio
from Nikon
QUICK
SHOTS
DCM EXPERT’S
AWARD WIN
Our resident photo
retouching expert, Ed
Davis, has picked up
two gongs at a
recent awards
ceremony in LA. Ed,
who helps revive old
and damaged photos
for our readers, was
presented with two
Guru awards by the
National Association
of Photoshop
Professionals. You
can witness the
transformative effect
of his powers on
page 64.
Nikon crams high-end technology into a compact
THE SQ
FEATURES A
FAST BOOTUP TIME OF
LESS THAN
A SECOND,
COLOUR
BALANCED
MATRIX
METERING
AND MULTIAREA
AUTOFOCUS
N
ikon has launched three new Coolpix
cameras aimed at the highly
competitive compact market.
Leading the charge is the rather quirkily
styled SQ which features a remodelled swivel
lens, making it easy to shoot your subjects
from any angle. Nikon claims that the all-metal
body SQ features technology previously only
offered in its high-end digital SLRs, including
a fast boot-up time of less than one second,
colour balanced matrix metering and
multi-area autofocus.
Based around a 1/2.7-inch CCD offering
a 3x optical zoom lens with a focusing range
equivalent to 37-111mm in a 35mm camera.
Nikon is making great claims for the SQ’s
flash too which has a shooting range of 5m
for wide angle shots and 3m for telephoto.
The camera also comes with 15 preset or
program modes which optimise the
camera’s shutter and aperture settings
for certain lighting conditions, and a
USB docking station for speedy
transfer of your pics from camera to
PHOTOSHOP IN
THE RAW
computer. The SQ is available now for £350.
Accompanying the SQ are cheaper models –
the Coolpix 2100 and 3100, priced at £200
and £280 respectively. Although both cameras
eschew the SQ’s aesthetic in favour of a more
conventional design, they’re still stacked with
spec, including 3x optical zoom lenses, 14
program modes and a 640 x 480 AVI movie
mode – something each model shares with the
more expensive SQ. As you’d expect, the
Coolpix 2100 has the lower image resolution
of the two, offering 2-megapixel images
from its CCD, while the 3100 delivers 3.2megapixels, enabling you to print pictures
up to B4 in side. All three cameras come
with ‘small picture’ mode which enables
you to create highly compressed images
for sending via email or posting on the web.
For more info, go to www.dcmag.co.uk.
Adobe has launched
a new Photoshop 7
plug-in that enables
you to import RAW
files direct from your
digital camera. The
plug-in enables
you to handle the
image like a photo
negative – free of
the adjustments
normally made in
camera when saving
an image as a JPEG
or TIFF file. With RAW
capability built into
increasing numbers
of cameras this
looks like a timely
release. For more
information, go to
www.adobe.co.uk
PENTAX SHOWS
ITS METAL
Pentax has launched
a trio of stylish
aluminium alloy
cameras. The 5MP
Optio 550 and 4MP
Optio 450 both have
5x optical zooms,
while the 3MP Optio
33L has a tilt and
swivel LCD.
Digital Camera
Shopper launch
Mag hits the shelves 24th April
Whether you’re splashing out on
new kit or just looking to upgrade
what you’ve got, then don’t miss
LAUNCH out on the very first issue of
Digital Camera Shopper.
Brought to you by the makers of Digital
Camera Magazine, it’s a complete, one-stop
buyers’ bible for all your digital photography
equipment needs. Our independent experts
provide in-depth reviews and group tests, plus
news of the hottest new compacts, SLRs,
software, printers, flashguns, lenses and more.
There’s an exhaustive buyers’ guide to help
you compare prices and specs. Whether you’re
an absolute beginner or a seasoned pro, Digital
Camera Shopper will help you find the right kit
for your budget. In the
shops from 24th April,
priced at £4.99, you can
find out more at
www.dcmag.co.uk
2
3
Best sellers
Information
supplied by
www.dabs.com
Best Seller
Canon PowerShot
A40
£210
Sub-£100
Logitech Pocket
Digital
£88
Sub-£300
Sony Cyber-shot
DSC-P72
£260
Sub-£800
Canon PowerShot
G3
£598
Hi-fi cameras from FujiFilm
FujiFilm has finally launched a
brace of new cameras that use
its fourth generation Super CCD
HARDWARE technology, revealed last month.
The first of the cameras – the FinePix F700
– comes with the company’s doublehoneycomb Super CCD SR chip
which uses two 3.1-megapixel
photosites to deliver extra
dynamic range with your
shots. This ‘high-fidelity’
camera offers an
interpolated image
resolution of 6.03 million
pixels and also features
a Super EBC Fujinon 3x
optical zoom lens, AVI
movie mode and the
ability to store images on the supplied x-D
Picture card as uncompressed RAW files for
maximum picture quality.
Somewhat confusingly, FujiFilm’s second
camera, the FinePix F410 also offers an
effective resolution of 6-megapixels, but uses
only a single 3.1-megapixel Super
CCD HR chip to create your
images instead. The camera
offers similar spec to the F700,
including a 3x optical zoom, movie
mode and the ability to save
digital images in the
uncompressed raw format.
Both cameras will be available
late spring, although pricing has
still to be confirmed. For more,
go to www.fujifilm.co.uk
Image-editing made easy
Roxio launches updated version of its PhotoSuite Platinum software
Historic day of protest against war on Iraq
saw thousands of people take to the
streets in major cities on every continent
Roxio PhotoSuite Platinum 5 offers
fully automated image correction
for beginners with a suite of tools,
SOFTWARE layers and palettes for more
advanced users. Key features include a Red Eye
Remover and the ability to create photo and
video CDs directly from within the application.
There’s an enhanced stitch mode for creating
panoramics, a collage creator for making cards,
image organisational tools and a variety of
printing and sharing options. Available now for
Windows XP and Mac OS X, it;s priced at £50.
To find out more, go www.roxio.co.uk
The time: 15th Feb 2003
The Place: London, Glasgow, Paris, Rome, Madrid,
Athens, Berlin, Brazil, Los Angeles, San Francisco,
New York, Damascus, Sydney, Tokyo, Moscow,
Dublin, Delhi
Over one million Britons took to the streets of
London 15th February, to join hundreds of
thousands more around the world, in a global
day of protest against war on Iraq. With these
numbers dwarfing the Countryside Alliance
march last September and even the infamous
poll tax riots of the 1980s, this demonstration
was officially Britain’s biggest ever peace rally.
Organised by the Stop the War Coalition, the
London march featured nuns, schoolchildren and
celebrities, drawing groups as diverse as
Archaeologists Against War and the Bristol
Samba Society. Popular banners included
“Make tea not war” and old favourite “Make
Love Not War,”
One million marched through Rome and hung
peace flags on the Colosseum, while protesters
in West Palm Beach, Florida got naked and
anarchists in Athens clashed with police. From
Bulgaria to Brazil people took to the streets in
their thousands, on a scale not seen since the
era of the Vietnam war.
WIDEANGLE
What’s happening around the world
GREAT BRITAIN
DO YOU PICTURE MESSAGE?
Taking photos is fast becoming one
of the UK’s most popular pastimes,
thanks to booming sales of mobile camera
phones. Mobile networks O2 and Vodafone
have already signed up over 200,000
users, and web photo sites are being
swamped by demand from picture
messagers who want to post pictures
online for their non-camera phone owning
friends. Even pro photographers are getting
in on the act, with shoots from fashion
shows and celebrity events all being taken
on camera phones. However, the two most
popular subjects for image-taking are pets
and the drunken antics of pub-dwellers.
USA
CALLING ALL CARDS…
Gateway has launched the world’s
first laptop with 6-in-1 memory card
reader. The reader adds $50 to the $1,099
asking price, but you have to sacrifice your
floppy drive to accommodate it. The 400L
joins other card reading laptops from Sony
and Toshiba, which can usually only handle
a couple of proprietary formats.
Behindtheimage
New CCD technology hits the market in a double honeycomb chip
© SIPA PRESS/WWW.REXFEATURES.COM 2003
TALKBACK
1
Tell us what you think! Our website forums at dcmag.co.uk are
just the place. Add your comments, ideas and more and join the
Digital Camera Magazine club!
2
013
HP unveils
always-on future
In a few years’ time, you might have a digital camera in your sunglasses.
HP Research in Bristol is calling it the Casual Capture concept
8
THE
EASYSHARE
6000
ENABLES
YOU TO
OUTPUT
PHOTOS
FROM YOUR
CAMERA AT
THE PRESS
OF A SINGLE
BUTTON
8
If you’re happy to buy a cheap pair of sunglasses
whenever you go for a holiday in the sun, HP is hoping
to change your mind. The company’s Bristol-based
TECHNOLOGY research laboratory is working on a set of shades that
incorporate a tiny digital camera, able to take shots without conscious
effort on your part. It’s only a prototype at the moment, but it’s part
of the firm’s ambitious plans for a world where ‘casual capture’ is a
part of everyone’s life.
The concept of casual capture is based around the idea that in the
future, we won’t be carrying a dedicated digital camera round with
us to take snaps with. Instead, we’ll have one (or probably more)
wearable camera, which constantly takes pictures of whatever we’re
doing, without us telling it to. “It might be in your sunglasses,” says
Andy. “Or in the lapel or buttons of your shirt, or in a badge that
you’re wearing.”
The reason the department has focused on sunglasses for its first
prototype wearable camera is their inherent advantage – they
generally point in whatever direction you’re looking, so can capture
events, people or landscapes that have grabbed your attention. Of
course, the result will be hundreds of pictures at the end of each day.
Storage won’t be a problem – by the time this technology becomes
available, the average person will have many terabytes of personal
storage space to play with.
But how will you sort through all these images to pick out ones
you like? HP is working on that too. The answer will be software that
can do the hard work for you, identifying the best shots according to
their composition, or even by recognising familiar faces. “You then
might have a dynamic screen that plays a constant slideshow of your
images, or even a printer that basically prints you a glossy magazine
full of images of your wedding day, or holiday or whatever,” he says.
STORAGE
WON’T BE A
PROBLEM
SINCE THE
AVERAGE
PERSON
WILL HAVE
MANY
TERABYTES
OF STORAGE
SPACE TO
PLAY WITH
“The system might even be able to digitally zoom in on shots to give
them better composition.”
The other main element of casual capture is that you’ll be part of
the action, rather than a photographer standing apart from it. Think of
all those parents who spend more time pointing a camera at their
toddler than actually playing with them, or the fact that if you’re
taking loads of snaps on a big night out, you’re probably not enjoying
it as much as if you’d left the camera at home. According to Andy,
casual capture will also ensure you’re always able to get images of
those one-off moments that you wouldn’t preserve otherwise.
“It’s not about having one picture that you stick on your
mantelpiece and that sums up a day,” he says. “Although we’ll still
do that, and still go to studios and have a posed picture taken
occasionally. But what you often want to capture is that glint in
somebody’s eye at a very special moment, or a smile on a child’s
face. It’s the spontaneous moments where you wouldn’t have time
to get your camera out to take a picture of.”
If you ask us, casual capture sounds like a great idea, and we can’t
wait to get hold of a pair of those sunglasses. But aren’t there privacy
issues if everyone’s walking around with tiny wearable cameras? HP
is taking that into account too. “It certainly has to be considered,” says
Andy. “You can imagine legislation being brought out that says that
all cameras in public spaces must be able to respond to some sort of
wireless interrogation that asks if the camera is on, and who its
owner is.”
However, Andy also thinks casual capture could have a positive
side, with possible legislation requiring it for the police, surgeons and
firemen. You might even have cameras operating in your car to
provide evidence in the event of an accident. “There are positive,
serious uses,” says Andy. “But it’s about the fun stuff too.”
Kodak’s dock printer
Hassle-free, computer-less printing from the digital imaging experts
Kodak’s has taken its EasyShare
digital camera dock concept one
logical step further and incorporated
HARDWARE it into its next-gen photo printers.
Previously offered as an optional extra for the
company’s digital cameras, the dock offered onetouch transfer of your photos from camera to PC
and also provided a convenient means of
recharging the camera’s battery.
Now incorporated into the Kodak EasyShare
6000 printer (pictured) the dock enables you to
output photos from the camera at the press of a
single button with borderless 4 x 6-inch prints
taking less than 90 seconds to complete. The 6000
costs £199, with refill packs – containing enough
ink and paper for 40 prints – available for £20.
Accompanying the new printer are new 600
and 6000 series EasyShare cameras, which were
launched at the PMA show in Las Vegas. Chief
among these is the new LS633, the world’s first
camera to use OLED display technology. OLED
promises to make displays brighter and easy to
see in direct sunlight and should use less battery
power. For more details, go to www.kodak.com
COVER FEATURE SPRING PHOTOGRAPHY
YOUR GUIDE STEVE BAVISTER
Steve is a photographic journalist and freelance photographer. He is editor of The
Photographer, a leading magazine for pro photographers, and author of ten books
on photography including Digital Photography and Take Better Family Photos
[email protected]
PORTFOLIO STEVE BAVISTER
Springtime!
From bulbs to birds and buds, spring is certain to get your sap rising,
says Steve Bavister, and your shutter finger snapping
L
ike hedgehogs and tortoises, many
photographers go into hibernation over the
winter months. Short, cold days filled with drab,
grey weather hardly inspire you to get out snapping – and
somehow the programmes on TV seem a lot more enticing.
spring is here at last, and if you’ve been champing at the bit
to get outside and start reeling off lots of pictures, now’s
your chance.
Suddenly everything seems to be coming to life, with
bulbs bursting through the ground, buds turning into
blossom, and birds doing something beginning with ‘B’.
There’s more potential for portraiture as well, as people
get out and enjoy the rising temperature, while everywhere
you look there’s the opportunity for capturing a fantasticlooking image.
Most importantly, there’s a lot more light. Once the clocks
have been changed it’s possible to get out and do a couple
of hours photography after work, without the need for a
flash or tripod. And it’s also one of the best times of the
year in terms of the quality of light. While there’s not the
016
Even the average garden can be a riot of
colour and offer a host of possibilities…
sheer intensity you can get at the height of summer, neither
is there the harshness that often accompanies it. Instead,
spring offers a crisp, sharp light that brings subjects to life.
Scenic pictures
While winter landscapes can be charming, there’s a muchlimited palette to work with. With more leaves on the
trees, green in the fields, and a blaze of flowers and
blossom, it’s much easier to come up with successful
landscapes in spring. The secret lies in finding the best
viewpoint and shooting when the light is right. This time of
year the sun doesn’t get too high, but it’s still a good idea to
shoot early or late in the day. Not only do you get longer
shadows, which help create a sense of depth and mood,
the light also tends to be warmer and create a more
atmospheric image.
To make the most of the shadows, find a vantage point
that looks down on the landscape, and to enhance the
three-dimension feel even further, compose the shot so
there’s something close to the camera – such as the
branches of a tree or an interesting, rocky formation.
But you don’t have to travel to remote locations this time
of year to come up with great pictures. Even the average
garden can be a riot of colour and offer a host of
possibilities. Bulbs in particular are associated with spring,
and in a walk down any urban street or country lane you’ll
be greeted by everything from daffodils and tulips to
crocuses and snowdrops – in every colour under the sun.
4
WHY WE CHOSE
THIS PICTURE
Sun behind subject gives
interesting lighting effects
Low shooting angle
provides dynamic composition
017
ABSTRACT THINKING
Don’t just go for obvious springtime subjects – think
creatively and look for ways of coming up with something
new. Shooting abstracts, for instance, is a great way of
pushing the boundaries. Instead of photographing all of a
flower, crop in tight so only part of it is seen. Rather than do
a study of a flowerbed showing all of it, isolate part of it
that has an interesting or unusual design. If you could get
close enough, you might even frame a shot of a duck so all
you see is the texture of its feathers.
a
Shrubs and trees, too, are worth
investigating. Vividly composed against a
blue sky, blossom looks absolutely fantastic
Get down on the ground
One of the best ways of capturing flowers is to get
down to ground level – even going so far as to lie
flat on the floor (make sure you’ve got something
waterproof!). This will give you a more pleasing
perspective than looking down on them. You’ll be spoilt
for choice, so find a clump of flowers that look attractive
and which, more importantly, have an attractive
backdrop. This could be a traditional dry stone wall or
the foliage of an evergreen bush. Avoid messy,
complicated backgrounds, unless the flowers are
unmissable – in which case you should try and throw
them out of focus by choosing a large aperture, if you
have exposure control.
The most effective way to bring the colours of early
blooms to life is by shooting when the sun’s behind
them. This means that they become semi-transparent,
and display their intricate detail and rich colour.
By and large, stems aren’t very interesting, so be
prepared to crop in close and concentrate attention on
the flowers themselves. While shots of single heads can
be successful, generally a clump works better. Fill the
frame with colour by shooting from slightly further away
using the telephoto end of your zoom.
Shrubs and trees, too, are worth investigating. Vividly
composed against a blue sky, blossom looks absolutely
fantastic, while lush new foliage positively glows when
lit obliquely by sun diffused under fluffy clouds.
One of the images that symbolises spring is of buds –
and with the close-focusing capabilities available on
most digital cameras, they’re easy to capture. Unlike
traditional compact cameras, where having a separate
viewfinder and lens system makes it difficult to frame
the shot accurately at close quarters, the monitor
enables you to frame the shot precisely. And most
digital cameras these days have startlingly good close-
If you’re looking for more inspiration, check out the book Seeing Landscapes by Charlie
Waite (Collins & Brown, ISBN 1855857480) and the RSPB Guide to Bird & Nature
Photography by Laurie Campbell (David & Charles, ISBN 0715301276)
2 PARKS AND GARDENS
One of the best hunting ground for pictures in spring, is your local park. Councils and local
authorities spend thousands of pounds planting huge numbers of bulbs – and the displays
when they all come up together can be quite breathtaking. Some beds are all one colour,
while others are a riot of different shades and tones. Parks are also home to all manner of
wildlife, and it's not unusual to see squirrels and many different kinds of birds. In fact,
some even have lakes or wildfowl areas with ducks, geese and more exotic species. Spend
a couple of hours in a park on a sunny day and come back with loads of great pictures.
2
Geese are readily accessible
in a wide range of locations
throughout the spring.
Because they are bigger
than most garden birds you
should have no problem
filling the frame with them
using the top end of a zoom.
To help them stand out find
an uncluttered background
such as the foliage here, and
try to shoot when they are
active rather than resting.
019
COVER FEATURE SPRING PHOTOGRAPHY
1 FOOD FOR BIRDS
Most birds eat a wide variety of foods, depending on
how scarce food is in general, and what's available. So if
you just put out a mix of seeds, nuts, grain, fruit and fats,
you won't go far wrong. But if there are specific species
you would like to lure before your lens, try tempting
them with their favourite nibbles, as follows:
■ Blackbirds – fruit in general; oatmeal
■ Robins -– grated cheese; cake crumbs; meal worms
■ Wrens – crumbled biscuits
■ Starlings – bread; pasta
■ Green finches – sunflower seeds
■ Blue Tits, Coal Tits, Marsh Tits – peanuts
■ Nuthatches – fat
■ Redwings – chopped apples; pears
It's important, of course, always to put out quality food,
free from disease or infection. Whenever possible, chop it
up finely – maybe by running it briefly through a food
processor – so that both birds and their young can feed
more easily. In dry weather it can help to wet it first, and
birds will always welcome water.
Most digital cameras these days
have startlingly good closefocusing capabilities…
focusing capabilities – enabling you to get right into your
subject for eye-popping compositions.
Careful focusing
But care needs to be taken to get the best results.
This is especially true when it comes to focusing. The
closer you get to your subject the more limited your
depth-of-field becomes. In fact, you may only have a
few millimetres leeway in front and behind – so make
sure you focus on what’s most important. This can be
tricky if there’s even the slightest breeze.
If you have control over exposure, setting small
aperture such as f/11 or f/16 will increase the depth-offield. However, you have to be careful. As soon as you
go for apertures like that you’ll see your shutter speeds
020
start to tumble. On a sunny day, with an ISO100 setting,
the best shutter speed you could hope for at f/16 is
1/125sec – with a fair likelihood of camera-shake if
there’s a breeze.
So what do you do?
Well you could use flash, which freezes all motion, but
can give a harsh effect. Or you could use a higher ISO
setting, to give faster shutter speeds and smaller
apertures, but with some loss of quality in terms of
sharpness and colour saturation.
Another option is to get an ‘assistant’ to hold a piece
of card alongside the subject as a windshield. If you use
white card, this can also double as a reflector, bouncing
backlight into shaded areas for a better-balanced effect.
For maximum control, though, nothing beats working in
a makeshift studio.
Spring also heralds the arrival of many kinds of insect
into the garden. But while they are marvellous subjects,
especially colourful types such as butterflies, bees and
dragonflies, they offer all the close-up challenges
discussed so far and more besides. The key difference is
that the little blighters can move as well, flitting hither
and thither and generally making your life hell. Because
insects are sensitive to movement, you need to avoid
any jerky actions, and don’t allow your shadow to fall
over them.
The best technique is to set the camera up on a
tripod, focused on a particular bloom that seems to be
attracting lots of insects, and then wait patiently. Once a
likely candidate lands on your target you can fire away –
and then review the shots.
You might also want to try your hand at a bit of bird
photography. From early spring, when they announce
their presence with a dawn chorus, our feathered friends
are constant visitors to our gardens – and that’s a good
place to start taking pictures of them. Of course, how
many birds you get coming depends on a number of
factors. The simple way to attract them is to leave them
food. Almost any kind will do – to start with put a
variety of things out and see what turns up (see the
‘Food for birds’ box above for more information).
You can’t just feed them once and expect them to
keep turning up, though. The key is regularity and
reliability. Birds are lazy at heart, and if they know you’ll
have food out they’ll come to you first. You don’t
g
Spring is reasonably well represented among titles and sites relating to landscape and
wildlife photography. Check out the book, Wild Spring – In Praise of Nature, by Richard Fuller
(Swan Hill Press, ISBN1853105732), which captures many of the different faces of spring
2 SPRINGTIME PORTRAITS
Spring is a great time for taking pictures of people outdoors. Not only is the weather more
pleasant, so people aren’t having to wrap up warm and worry about getting back indoors,
the light is bright without being harsh. Because it lacks the intensity of summer, and sits
lower in the sky, you get some great results by shooting into-the-light – so your subject’s
hair has a halo around it. If the monitor shows the face dark, either use fill-in flash or
increase the exposure so it appears well lit. To focus attention on your subject, make sure
they’re well away from the background and then use your zoom at its longest setting –
adjusting your stance from the person to give the framing you want. That way they’ll
stand out almost three-dimensionally from the background.
really want to have the food visible – it will spoil the
picture. So you need to hide it, in such a way that it
attracts the birds but doesn’t appear in the picture.
Hide seeds and grain in nooks and crannies, spread
fat along branches, put peanuts and scraps out of
sight behind rocks and branches. Remember to think
when you’re doing this about where you’ll be shooting
from, and what the best background would be. Consider
also the direction of light at the time of day you expect
to be out snapping.
Where to shoot from
The house is the most obvious spot, through glass, if it’s
of sufficient quality and clean, or from an open window.
Pulling curtains across will help keep you unseen. With
some of the tamer species, such as robins, you may be
able to sit out in the garden and shoot.
Make sure you switch off the flash, because that will
send them flying, and you might need to go for a
higher ISO setting to arrest any movement. Unless you
get golden eagles or herons paying you a visit you’ll
obviously need a telephoto lens setting – and you may
need to blow up part of the image later in order to fill
the frame with the average subject.
Depending on whereabouts you live, you may
encounter other kinds of wildlife, as animals of all kinds
come out of hibernation and become more active.
Squirrels, hedgehogs and even foxes can be found in
urban as well as rural settings. These are much are
harder to photograph, because they tend to be more
unpredictable. The key at this time of the year is to keep
your camera readily to hand, so you’re prepared for
what comes along.
There’s one classic spring subject you should have
no trouble finding: lambs. Drive into the country over
the next couple of month and you’ll see lots of them
gambolling in the fields. Often there’s somewhere
you can pull over, allowing you to capture a few
shots. Sometimes they’re inquisitive and come over;
at other times they move away. But if you wait for a
2 EXPERT TIPS
■ Experiment with your
apertures to find out what
suits a subject best.
Sometimes a small aperture,
such as f/11 or f/16, with
everything sharp, works best;
in other situations it's large
apertures, such as f/4 or f/5.6, with a limited zone of
focus, that give the optimum result.
■ Try shooting a sequence –
such as the same spot
once a week, to show the
effect of spring coming. Or,
indoors, a vase of flowers
every morning for a period of
time to see them.
■ In springtime, riverbanks
can be a haven for wildlife
such as frogs and toads. See
this month’s Getupandgo
section and get some tips on
the best way to capture our
amphibious friends.
while they’ll soon get used to you and come into
range. Pictures of them on their own, in pairs, or with
their mothers all work well. Any light can be effective,
but to capture lambs at their most photogenic find a
vantage point that allows you to shoot towards the
sun, when the woolly coat will gain a wonderful
‘Ready Brek’ halo. The great thing about spring is that it
really gets your creative juices flowing, and encourages
you to start snapping again – whatever subject you
like to photograph…
021
COVER FEATURE SPRING-CLEANING – POST-SHOOT
Gradient filters
and the channel mixer
Tim Daly shows you two ways to make great prints in Photoshop when tricky lighting leaves you with washed-out colour
0
EXPERT TIPS
TIM DALY
PHOTOSHOP EXPERT
WORKING IN
16-BIT MODE
For superior gradients, consider
working temporarily in Photoshop’s
16-bit colour mode. With a huge
number of extra colours at your
disposal, subtle and gradual colour
transitions are less likely to band
into visibly separate tones. Once
complete, it’s essential to convert
your image back to 8-bits for
printing out.
S
pring time is the season for extremes when
flat, colourless light can be replaced with
burning sunshine before you can change your
camera settings. Digital cameras make a good job of
coping with these extremes and can do this task much
better than film-based cameras. Yet, on return from an
inspiring shoot, there’s always the inevitable number of
files that are just missing the all-important wow factor.
Pale white or washed out sky tones never do your
01
ENHANCE COLOURS TO BE MIXED
04
ADJUST SOURCE CHANNELS
The Channel Mixer can be used to make a
dramatic conversion from colour to black and
white. Decide which colours you want to make darker and
enhance their intensity using the Saturation slider in the
Hue/Saturation dialog. Only make a slight increase.
original subjects justice, but they can easily be renovated
with two fantastic Photoshop routines designed to make
a silk purse out of a sow’s ear.
The Channel Mixer is the most exciting way to remix
original image colour, be it from a slide, print or raw file
taken straight from a digital camera. Just like re-shooting
your original scene on a PC, with the ability to make
certain tones more dominant than they were in the first
place, the Channel Mixer provides a spectacular way to
02
USE AN ADJUSTMENT LAYER
05
FINAL TONE CORRECTION
Next, make a Channel Mixer adjustment layer
so you can isolate your forthcoming edit from
your original background layer. With any adjustment layer,
you’ve also got the option of changing your command at
a later stage without the risk of posterizing your file.
convert drab colour photographs into exotic black and
white. Just like conventional photographic filters, the
second technique looks at replacing clear white skies
with subtle graduated colour. Introducing ‘foreign’ colour
to blank, white image areas can be painfully difficult
unless you are a renaissance artist, but with a crafty
use of blending modes, a much less fake result can be
achieved without spending hours over a complex
selection task.
03
CONVERT TO MONOCHROME
06
WARM UP WITH A TINT
Decide which colour channel you want to edit,
then click Monochrome in the dialog box.
Here, the Red channel was selected to make blue skies
darker. Once clicked, the image will immediately convert
to black and white but with a pale and washed out tone.
3 IN DETAIL
MAKING A MASTER
GRADIENT FILTER FILE
A great idea is to make a master
filter file by assembling gradients
of different colours into separate
layers in one image file.
Create a new A4-sized document
and fill separate layers with
different colour gradients such as
blue, tobacco, orange and violet.
Once completed, the file can
remain open on your desktop
where you can simply drag the
desired colour layer into your
pale sky image.
022
Next, change the Red Channel to +200, Blue
to –50 and Green to –50. The golden rule is to
make all three values add up to 100. With each tweak,
the tones will shift dramatically between light and dark,
but will not balance until the third and final command.
If your results are brighter or darker than
anticipated, avoid using the Constant slider in
your Channel Mixer dialog, but press OK, then use your
Levels sliders on your background layer to redress any
problem. Only a slight alteration will be needed.
The final part of the edit is to flatten the image
and apply a subtle tint by using the colour
balance dialog box. Open it and apply +10 red and +10
yellow in both Midtone and Shadow areas to get the
effect you see here.
;
4
*
200 WAYS TO IMPROVE
ANY PHOTO
WEB LINKS
THE LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY
OF JOE CORNISH
TAKE BETTER HOLIDAY
PHOTOS WITH KODAK
If you’re stuck for inspiration, admire
the fabulous work of the UK’s best
landscape photographer.
www.joecornish.com
If you’re planning an Easter break, check out
these useful tips from the Kodak website.
www.kodak.com/US/en/corp/magazine/
tips/2001_05/
MAKING GRADIENT FILTERS
01
NEXT MONTH
MAKE A CAREFUL SELECTION
Open your image and make all tonal
corrections before applying the filter. Next,
make a selection of your sky area using the magic wand
tool until you’ve included all of the white areas. Feather
this with a 50 pixel radius.
02
TRAVELLING LIGHT
Check out National Geographic photographer
Chris Anderson’s travels in China.
www.nationalgeographic.com/photography/
anderson/index.html
Use gradient filters and blend modes to saturate
the pale areas of your photos with realistic colour
CHOOSE COLOURS
Now pick the Dropper tool from the toolbox.
Sample the darkest colour in your sky area to
provide a realistic colour for the edit. Open the Colour
Picker and press Arrow Down on your keyboard to make
your sampled colour slightly more saturated.
03
SET UP GRADIENT TOOL PROPERTIES
Next, pick the Gradient tool and make sure
that you have the Linear option as shown.
Click on the gradient picker and choose the Foreground
to Transparency option. If you can’t see it, click on the
pop-out menu and do a Reset gradients command.
0
EXPERT TIPS
TIM DALY
PHOTOSHOP EXPERT
SAVING YOUR
CHANNEL MIXER FILES
04
SET BLENDING MODE AND OPACITY
Click on the tool’s blending modes and select
one of two options. To convert clear white
skies to blue choose the Multiply blending mode and a
40% opacity. To make light blue skies more saturated,
choose the Colour blending mode at 100%.
05
DEFINE THE GRADIENT POSITION
Position your gradient tool at the top of the
image, click and then drag the tool
downwards until you have reached the bottom of your
selection. This will produce a clean band of colour which
will sit inside your selection area.
06
FURTHER APPLICATION
It’s a much better idea to apply successive
gentle gradients to the selection area rather
than do it in one fell swoop. To prevent your new colour
looking false, vary the direction of your gradient slightly
by working between opposite corners.
Like many other Photoshop
dialog edits, you can opt to save
and store your carefully designed
Channel Mixer recipes by pressing
the Load button in the dialog box.
This process creates a tiny data
file which can be stored on your
hard disk and replayed on any
future image projects. Best of all,
there’s a worldwide community
of Photoshop users who readily
share their own individual recipe
files over the internet.
023
SECTION #01
REVIEWS
Section highlights…
DIGITAL
CAMERA E
MAGAZIN
KIT REVIEW
OLYMPUS C-5050
SEE PAGE 30
PAGE
PAGE
26
The latest digital photo gear, reviewed and rated
f
Reviews you can trust!
Our aim is to inform you fully about a product’s best and worst features.
To this end, we guarantee each review is Independent: We have a castiron policy of editorial independence. Suppliers never see a review until
the magazine hits the newsagent Authoritative: Every review includes the
manufacturer’s range, other options, test shots, 3D tours, plus links to buy online Clear:
We use diagrams and boxes to ensure each review delivers a definitive verdict
Contact our reviews team
#
If you have a comment about our reviews, or a product you would like us to
test, please email us at [email protected]. Visit our website at
dcmag.co.uk for reader verdicts
PAGE
OLYMPUS C-5050
THE 5-MEGAPIXEL PRO MODEL
The latest in a long line of classic Olympus models
to combine compact dimensions with pro features
PAGE
SIGMA SD-9
THE 3.4-MEGAPIXEL FOVEON CHIP MODEL
Sigma is spearheading revolutionary new imaging
technology here but is it still early days?
PAGE
LAB TEST
WEB ALBUM SOFTWARE
These packages offer image manipulation,
organisation and web page creation in one
PAGE
PAGE
34
Kit reviews
HP PHOTOSMART 850
THE 4-MEGAPIXEL ‘BARGAIN’
This seems like outstanding value for money but
what about the build quality and handling?
41
CAMERA TOURS ON OUR CD/DVD
View every main camera
reviewed each month in 3D,
on our CD/DVD! Rotate it, swoop
around it – it’s the next best
thing to holding the camera in
your hands
CAMERA RANGE GUIDE
We show you where each
camera sits in the maker’s range,
and whether it’s worth your
while spending extra money for
more features
COMPARISON STRIPS
See how each camera performs
against the others in our reviews
– pull back the page and
compare the right-hand strips
26
30
34
41
REVIEWS
4-MEGAPIXEL CAMERA
HP PHOTOSMART 850
Price
Resolution
Lens
Memory
Battery Life
Contact
£400
4 megapixels
f2.8-3.1 7x zoom
16MB SD
Not quoted
HP 08705 474747 www.hp.com/uk
SAMPLE IMAGES ALL THESE IMAGES CAN BE FOUND ON OUR CD
HP PhotoSmart 850
Wow. These are serious specifications for a £400 camera, so should the PhotoSmart
850 leap to the top of everyone’s shopping list?
*
ON OUR
COVERDISC
VIRTUAL TOUR
Try before you buy! Rotate and
view this camera on-screen with
our unique virtual reality tour
C
ON OUR
WEBSITE
OPINIONS & SHOPPING
Post your views, see what other
readers think then buy this camera!
dcmag.co.uk/photosmart850
DIGITAL RANGE
HP
5
PS 850
Price: £400
Megapixels: 4
PS 720
Price: £200
Megapixels: 3
PS 620
Price: £150
Megapixels: 2
PS 320
Price: £130
Megapixels: 2
£
5
026
PS 120
Price: £100
Megapixels: 1
H
P’s PhotoSmart digital cameras have always
been big on value, whatever they might lack
in charm. The new 850 certainly seems to
offer plenty on the value front, with 4-megapixel
resolution allied to a massive 7x optical zoom and some
decent-sounding photographic features like aperturepriority and shutter-priority shooting modes, EV
compensation up to three stops either way and an
electronic SLR-style viewfinder. You’d have to spend a
lot more money to match these specs anywhere else,
let alone beat them.
Value for money is only one part of the equation,
though. Build quality and handling are important, too, as
is the final image quality. This is where the well-known
camera makers tend to slip into the lead, so how does
the HP stack up with the rest when you actually take it
out of the box and use it?
Style and handling
Now, you can measure features and specifications
quite scientifically, but camera design and handling is
altogether much more subjective. A camera that some
photographers don’t like will go down a storm with
other users. So it’s rare, surely, to find a camera that
really is genuinely unlovable.
Rare it may be, but we think we’ve done it. The
moment you pick it up, all the PhotoSmart 850’s
specifications and its modest price tag are forgotten.
Indeed, the price tag will suddenly make sense.
HP has produced some charmless, plasticky digital
cameras in the past, but it’s really pushed the boat out
with this one.
On the good side, the moulded handgrip on the right
does mean that you can get a really good grip on the
camera. That is, sadly, the extent of the good side. It’s
not just that the overall finish is plasticky, but that the
metal-look surface is too slippery. Pick up the FinePix
S602 Pro (reviewed on page 32) and then this camera
and the difference is obvious: the FinePix practically
sticks to your hand; the PhotoSmart 850’s like a bar of
soap. Okay, we exaggerate, but the HP’s finish looks a
2
3
7
HANDGRIP
You can get a good
purchase on the
rubberised handgrip,
but the rest of the
camera feels slippery
lot better in photographs than it feels when you hold it
in your hand.
We won’t moan about that any more. Instead,
we’ll moan about the controls. They’re stodgy and
sluggish, and they place way too much reliance on
the menu system. This itself responds slowly to button
presses, and whatever advanced photographic features
might be buried deep within the 850’s shell are likely
to stay buried unless you’re a very patient, unhurried
sort of photographer.
With the 850, you find yourself repeatedly pressing
buttons because you’re not sure they have worked the
first time, and getting into on-off loops where the
camera is always one step behind what you’re trying to
7
LENS
That 7x optical
zoom is quite
something in a
£400 camera
do. Everything works as it’s supposed to, but that bit
slower than you expect.
Getting what you pay for
The fact is, the PhotoSmart 850 handles and feels like a
budget digital camera – not one you’ve just spent £400
on. Yes, you are getting a lot of photographic power for
the outlay, but this is the price you’re paying for it.
Although the 2-inch LCD on the back is good (apart
from the fact that our LCD had an intermittent fault), the
Electronic Viewfinder isn’t up to much. Electronic
Viewfinders (EVFs) become necessary with longer-range
zooms, where it’s simply impractical to design an optical
finder that can cover the same zooming range.
TURN THE PAGE TO
COMPARE TEST SHOTS
7
HP PHOTOSMART 850
PERFORMANCE
2 SKIN TONES
3
POWER SWITCH/
SHUTTER RELEASE
The 850’s top plate is
neat and uncluttered,
but many important
options are left buried
in the menu system
3
5
6
1
7
The fact is, the PhotoSmart 850 handles
and feels like a budget digital camera –
not one you’ve just spent £400 on
Picture quality
It’s bad news on the handling front, then, but what
are the HP’s pictures like? Well this is where it
redeems itself pretty well. In common with other HP
digital cameras we’ve tried, the 850 produces
images far better than its cheap construction would
seem to imply. The exposure accuracy is high,
colours are reproduced well and the sharpness and
level of detail is particularly impressive.
Images can start to look a little soft when you get
to 1:1 pixel magnifications on-screen, mind, and
the extended telephoto range can catch you
out because camera shake becomes a big bugbear
in all but the best lighting conditions. All the same,
it’s a creditable set of results, and if you’re
disappointed by the HP’s build and handling, the
images it produces will provide a welcome boost to
your morale.
So should you buy a PhotoSmart 850, after all
these criticisms? It all depends on how much you
want that 7x zoom range, because this camera has
little in its favour apart from that. And remember
that the extra range is available only at the
telephoto end. Indeed, the 850’s widest wideangle setting is a pretty modest 37mm equivalent –
nearly all its rivals go a tiny bit wider to 35mm.
The 850 will be tempting to sports and wildlife
HP PHOTOSMART 850 FULL SPECIFICATIONS
WORTH
A LOOK
2
3.9-megapixel, 1/1.8-inch 4.1MP CCD
f2.8-3.1 8x lens
Auto, 10cm in macro mode
Program AE, aperture-priority, shutter-priority
TTL
2-inch
+3EV to -3EV in 0.5EV increments
Auto, on, off, red-eye
PAL
288 x 216 at 15fps with sound
Instant Share, optional camera dock
FUJIFILM FINEPIX
S304
£350/3MP
KODAK
LS443
£350/4MP
Image storage
Batteries
Battery life
AC adaptor
Weight
Dimensions
Transfer
Software
OS
HP PHOTOSMART
720
£200/3MP
1
SD card
4 x AA
Not quoted
Not supplied
388g (without battery or card)
120mm(w) x 120mm(h) x 85mm(d)
USB
HP Photo & Imaging software, HP Memories
Disc Creator
Windows 98/Me, 2000 or XP. Mac OS 9.1, OSX
10.1.2 or later
NIKON COOLPIX
4300
£400/4MP
LCD
The 2-inch LCD does
a good job,
but the menu
response is slow
fans, maybe, but for general-purpose photography
its extra zooming capabilities are unlikely to be used
that often.
You may think we’ve been unkind in our
comments about the PhotoSmart 850’s build, design
and operation, given that it appears to offer as much
for £400 as cameras costing twice as much. But
£400 is a lot of money by any standards and,
frankly, if it was our cash we’d spend it on a less
powerful camera that we actually enjoyed using.
Cameras such as the 4-megapixel Nikon CoolPix
4300 (with wonderfully sharp images) and the £350
4-megapixel Kodak LS443 (with metal finish, very
sharp images and docking station included) offer half
the zooming range, to be sure, but they nevertheless
cover 99 per cent of the average user’s needs.
The PhotoSmart 850 is tackling a competitive
market. Its specifications put it out in front of the
rest, but the experience of using it is rather different.
It’s the sort of camera you’ll buy because it’s a
good deal, not because you’ve fallen in love
with it. For that reason, it’s still worth keeping an
eye on a market where price-slashing has become
the norm…
Verdict
Electronic Viewfinders aren’t great in the best of
cameras, but the one fitted to the HP is really rather
horrid. It’s small, the resolution is low and it’s fit for
little more than rough framing. If you want to check
the composition, details or focus, you’ll need to use
the LCD on the back.
Sensor
Lens
Focus
Exposure modes
Metering
Monitor
AE compensation
Flash
Video output
Movie recording
Other features
7
ELECTRONIC
VIEWFINDER
EVFs are a necessary
evil in cameras with
big zooming capability
FLASH
The pop-up flash
does a good job,
but where’s the
slow-sync mode?
CON Sluggish controls and response mean that it’s
not the ideal camera to grab fleeting moments
2 OUTDOOR SHOTS
4
7
PRO The 850 is good at reproducing skin tones,
helped by accurate exposure measurement
Too cheap and
cheerful by
half, no matter
what it can do
The PhotoSmart 850 is a reminder of the
fact that cameras have to feel like they’re
worth the money and be nice to use. If
they’re not, the features and image
quality won’t be enough
5
6
PRO No problem at all with the HP’s performance
outdoors. Exposure and saturation are good
CON You can’t see much with that tiny viewfinder,
and the ISO choice is limited to 100 or 200
2 INDOOR SHOTS
5
6
PRO Flash exposures seem accurate, and the HP’s
colour rendition is as good indoors as elsewhere
CON We couldn’t find a slow flash mode, and at
37mm equivalent, the zoom lens isn’t very wide
2 IMAGE QUALITY
5
6
PRO Fine detail is sharp, colour is good and the
contrast and saturation aren’t bad, either
CON The slippery shape and stodgy responses will
increase the risk of camera shake in low light
72
FEATURES
78
IMAGES
BUILD
VALUE
59
80
1
1
1
1
72%
FINAL
SCORE
027
REVIEWS
5-MEGAPIXEL CAMERA
MINOLTA DIMAGE F300
Price
Resolution
Lens
Memory
Battery Life
Contact
£500
5 megapixels
f2.8-4.7 3x zoom
64MB SD card
260/560 frames with monitor on/off, using CR-3V battery
Minolta 01908 200 400 www.minolta.co.uk
Minolta DiMAGE F300
The 5-megapixel successor to Minolta’s compact F100 caters for both beginners and
serious photographers, but does it live up to its promise?
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M
inolta’s 4-megapixel DiMAGE F100 is a very
good camera. Offering both simplicity
and more advanced shutter-priority, aperturepriority and manual modes, it’s both sophisticated and
versatile. What’s more, the F100’s compact body is
well made, well designed and, at current prices, good
value for money.
And the DiMAGE F300 offers more of the same. Now
with 5-megapixel resolution, Minolta’s newest model
produces bigger, crisper and sharper pictures, and the
price is still highly competitive. It puts it right up against
the Konica Revio KD500, Kyocera FineCam S5 and
Olympus’s excellent little C-50.
Visually, the F300 is similar to the F100, sharing the
same elongated rectangular shape, 38-114mm
(equivalent) 3x zoom and effective control layout. A
couple of things are new, including a noise-reduction
system for exposures of a second or longer, and a new
UHS (Ultra High Speed) sequence mode capable of
recording up to eleven 1,280 x 960 shots at 7fps.
There’s an additional centre-weighted metering mode,
too, joining the existing multi-pattern and spot modes.
DIGITAL RANGE
MINOLTA
DIMAGE 7I
Price: £700
Megapixels: 5
5
DIMAGE F300
Price: £500
Megapixels: 5
DIMAGE F100
Price: £400
Megapixels: 4
DIMAGE S414
Price: £TBA
Megapixels: 4
£
5
028
DIMAGE XI
Price: £350
Megapixels: 3.2
Automatic programs
The F300 shares the F100’s Automatic Digital Subject
Program Selection which, thankfully, is quicker to
use than it is to say! The idea that it saves you the
trouble of choosing a ‘scene’ mode to match your
subject. The camera analyses the lighting, distance
and focusing information and works it out for you,
automatically selecting Portrait or Landscape mode,
for example, depending on what’s in front of the
camera. It shows you which scene mode it’s selected
on the LCD, but you can override this to choose your
own mode if you wish.
To be honest, it’s one of those instances where
increasing idiot-proofing actually leads to increased
complexity. If you put your faith in scene modes then
the F300’s system might prove useful but, for the most
part, digital cameras do a great job in standard Program
AE mode, and the F300’s no exception.
3
2
7
ALUMINIUM
EXTERIOR
The F300’s
aluminium exterior is
tough and feels
good in your hands
Like the Olympus C-50, reviewed in issue 4, the
F300 bridges the gap between point-and-shoot compact
cameras and more advanced models like the Canon
PowerShot G3 and Nikon CoolPix 5700. In addition to
the advanced exposure options and manual control,
the F300 also offers exposure bracketing (where a
sequence of three shots is taken at different exposures
so that you can choose the most successful one later)
and flash compensation (which lets you regulate the
power of the flash).
Miniature compromises
Being pocket size brings its limitations. For a start, the
F300 doesn’t have the fast maximum aperture of the
7
LENS
The Minolta GT lens has
a focal range equivalent
to 38-114mm
PowerShot G3, for example, or the extended zooming
range of the CoolPix 5700. And there’s less space on the
camera body for the control wheels and dials that
would make these advanced options more accessible.
As it is, you need to use the menu system if you
want to experiment much beyond simple snapshot
photography, and this can be a bit time-consuming and
fiddly. It’s a problem shared by many digital compacts
that look good on paper but prove a little more
awkward in the field.
The F300 does at least sport an easily-operated
exposure-compensation button. Using this and the
program AE/auto scene selection mode should take
care of the vast majority of subjects. The ISO ratings of
TURN THE PAGE TO
COMPARE TEST SHOTS
DIMAGE F300
PERFORMANCE
2 SKIN TONES
7
1
MODE DIAL
The mode dial is big
and chunky, offering
quick access to the
main controls
3
7
5
6
4
MONO LCD PANEL
The F300 retains a
mono status LCD, so
you don’t need the
LCD on to check
the picture
PRO Pretty neutral colour rendition, with no
tendency towards unhealthy yellows and greens
CON Red results in our test image shot in overcast
conditions. The focusing struggled in low light, too
2 OUTDOOR SHOTS
3
7
7
LCD
The 1.5-inch LCD is
small but crisp, bright
and responsive. It
copes well in low
light conditions, too
To be honest, it’s one of those instances
where increased idiot-proofing actually
leads to increased complexity
Fine mode, and 46 shots at Standard quality. Many
manufacturers who ought to know better ship out
their 5-megapixel models with measly 32MB or
even 16MB cards.
The F300’s specifications are good, then, and it’s
great value at around £500. Of its direct rivals, only
the Olympus C-50 can match it for features and size.
But while the Minolta’s aluminium exterior does
lend it an air of real class, we’d still have to give the
C-50 a slightly higher rating for build quality and
finish, especially with the added practicality of its
sliding lens cover.
The F300 starts up quickly and, apart from a
couple of instances where the autofocus struggled
(there was a heavy winter overcast throughout
the test period), it’s crisp, quick and positive to
use. The fact that it runs on a pair of AA cells is an
Value and performance
We particularly like the inclusion of a generous-sized
64MB SD card. This can store up to 24 shots at the
camera’s maximum resolution of 2,560 x 1,920 in
MINOLTA DIMAGE F300 FULL SPECIFICATIONS
Sensor
Lens
Focus
Exposure modes
Metering
Monitor
AE compensation
Flash
Video output
Movie recording
WORTH
A LOOK
2
5-megapixel, 1/1.8-inch 5.3MP CCD
Minolta GT f2.8-4.7 3x lens
Auto, manual, 20cm in macro mode
Program AE, aperture-priority, shutter-priority,
manual
256 multi-segment, centre-weighted, spot
1.5-inch 110,000 pixels
+2 to -2EV in 0.3EV increments
Auto, on, off, slow, red-eye
PAL or NTSC
KYOCERA
FINECAM S5
£500/5MP
KONICA REVIO
KD500
£500/5MP
Other features
Image storage
Batteries
Battery life
AC adaptor
Weight
Dimensions
Transfer
Software
OS
OLYMPUS
C-50
£500/5MP
1
Automatic Digital Subject Program Selection
SD card
2x AA or 1x CR-3V
260/560 shots (monitor on/off)
Not supplied
110mm(w) x 52.5mm(h) x 32.5mm(d)
USB
Minolta DiMAGE Viewer application
Windows 98/Me, 2000 or XP. Mac OS8.6-9.2.2,
OSX 10.1.3 or later
MINOLTA
DIMAGE F100
£400/4MP
added bonus, but you might want to keep a CR-V3
cell in your pocket for use in emergencies. These are
more expensive than AAs but have a much longer
running time.
Image quality is another area that potential
buyers will want to pay close attention to.
5-megapixel cameras are still significantly more
expensive than 4-megapixel models, so is the
increased detail rendition worth it?
In the case of the F300, it almost certainly is.
Where some 5-megapixel models struggle to offer
useful improvements, the F300 produces some really
crisp, fine detail, and without excessive sharpening
effects. Its images can occasionally look a little flat,
but this can easily be fixed later on – and it’s better
to have flat images than bleached-out highlights and
dense black shadows.
In short, you don’t have to worry that you might
be sacrificing optical quality for the sake of
compactness. 5-megapixel cameras don’t get a lot
better than this, and for £500 you’re getting a
camera that’s capable of top-notch results and
controls that – with a little patience, admittedly –
match those in far more expensive cameras.
Verdict
64-400 ISO cover a reasonable range, and
you’ll have to pay a good bit more to get a camera
that can reach 800 or even 1,600 ISO. The zoom
range is good enough, though it could do with
going a little wider at the short end, and if you’re
not happy with the camera’s automatic image
processing, you can manually adjust the colour
(natural, vivid, black and white), contrast, saturation
and sharpness. The default settings will prove
fine much of the time and, if not, you’ll be better
off adjusting these things in your image-editor later
on anyway.
NAVIPAD
Like the rest of the
controls, the navipad
buttons are positive
and well spaced
A good-value
revamp of an
excellent camera
The F300 offers a useful increase in
detail rendition over the 4-megapixel
F100. It’s very good value, too,
especially with the bundled 64MB SD
card. More advanced controls can be
fiddly to access, though
5
6
PRO Impressive levels of sharpness and good
exposure. The F300 copes well
CON Shots taken in dull conditions stay dull. Little
to add punch and saturation in poor light
2 INDOOR SHOTS
5
6
PRO The slow flash mode balances well with
ambient light, and the LCD screen remains crisp
CON The lens scarcely goes wide enough
for small interior shots
2 IMAGE QUALITY
5
6
PRO Worried that a compact camera can’t produce
sharp, high-quality results? This one can…
CON The high-tech focusing system doesn’t always
get the job done, especially in low light
FEATURES
90
IMAGES
90
BUILD
VALUE
81
88
1
1
1
1
87%
FINAL
SCORE
029
REVIEWS
5-MEGAPIXEL CAMERA
OLYMPUS C-5050 ZOOM
Price
Resolution
Lens
Memory
Battery Life
Contact
£650
5 megapixels
f1.8-2.6 3x zoom
32MB x-D Picture Card
Not quoted
Olympus 0800 072 0070 www.olympus.co.uk
Olympus C-5050 Zoom
Olympus has chosen a process of evolution and refinement for its enthusiastorientated digital cameras, rather than dramatic new designs. Has it paid off?
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DIGITAL RANGE
OLYMPUS
E-20
Price: £1,200
Megapixels: 5
5
C-5050
Price: £650
Megapixels: 5
C-50
Price: £500
Megapixels: 5
C-730UZ
Price: £445
Megapixels: 3
£
5
030
C-4000
Price: £380
Megapixels: 4
T
he Olympus C-5050 Zoom is the latest and
most advanced in a series of cameras that fits
between Olympus’s point-and-shoot digital
compacts and its SLR-style E20 pro-level camera. The
C-5050 Zoom offers the dimensions of a compact
camera with the features of a pro model – and
combines them pretty successfully, too.
Sticking to a shape that’s served Olympus well for a
while now, the C-5050 Zoom is quite compact, yet
‘grippable’ too, thanks to a chunky moulded handgrip to
the left of the camera. This also houses the four AA cells
that power the camera, which is good news for AA fans
who are used to having to accept more expensive (if
you want to buy spares) proprietary lithium-ion cells.
DIGITAL
CAMERA
MAGAZINE
3
2
Better than ever
Not only that, this latest enthusiasts’ model from
Olympus packs in a quite amazing array of features.
Without increasing the size of the camera significantly,
Olympus has added a thumb-operated control wheel, a
tilting LCD panel and double-barrelled card slots, so that
you can now use Compact Flash cards and MicroDrives
in one, or SmartMedia or xD Picture Cards in the other.
A 32MB x-D card comes as standard, which will keep
you going for a while, but you’re likely to want to invest
in extra, larger cards soon, since the 32MB card supplied
stores a maximum of eight 2,560 x 1,920 image in SHQ
(Super High Quality) mode and 26 at the HQ setting.
The C-5050 Zoom can actually produce larger output
files, up to 3,200 x 2,400 pixels (7.7 megapixels), but
this inevitably uses in-camera interpolation, and you’re
more likely to want to do this kind of resampling in
Photoshop under more controlled conditions.
But the C-5050 Zoom also offers a more useful RAW
mode. This stores the image information as captured by
the CCD, so that instead of relying on in-camera
processing to produce editable TIFF or JPEG files, you
transfer the RAW files and use special software on your
computer to decode and optimise the data. RAW files
enable you, in principle, to squeeze the last ounce of
quality, colour and tonal range out of your images. And
7
HANDGRIP
The C-5050 is easy
to hold, thanks to
the big handgrip
and smart, crackleblack finish
while they do take up around 8MB of space on your
memory cards, they’re still half the size of a TIFF file.
Pro-level features
We’ve mentioned that the C-5050 Zoom offers pro-level
features, and apart from its multiple card slots, it
includes programmed auto-exposure, shutter-priority
and aperture-priority modes, plus full manual control
and ‘scene’ modes designed specifically for landscapes,
portraits, night scenes, sports and landscape/portrait
shots. You can check your images for over- or underexposure as soon as you’ve taken them, thanks to the
histogram display available in the shooting mode (it
shows you whether the exposure has ‘clipped’ the
7
LENS
That f1.8 lens is fast
enough for low-light
shooting, and
sharp, too
highlights or shadows), and you can auto-bracket
exposures with a series of three or even five shots.
With its fast f1.8 lens and 5-megapixel resolution, the
C-5050 Zoom – on paper at least – looks just about as
good as digital cameras can get without taking the big
leap into the digital SLR market. As ever, though, the
true test is how a camera handles in real photographic
situations, not just its options list.
Pro-level build?
Now, given that the C-5050 Zoom is one of the least
expensive ‘serious’ digital cameras around, you might
be expecting reasonable build quality but nothing
outstanding. This is where the C-5050 Zoom springs its
TURN THE PAGE TO
COMPARE TEST SHOTS
7
C-5050 ZOOM
PERFORMANCE
2 SKIN TONES
1
MODE DIAL
Menu fiddling is
kept to a minimum,
thanks to a mode
dial that offers
instant access to all
3
5
6
4
PRO Excellent colour rendition, even in tricky
conditions like this bluish early morning light
CON There are no ‘cons’. The Olympus didn’t trip
up once. Flash shots are neutral-toned, too
2 OUTDOOR SHOTS
7
3
SHUTTER RELEASE
The shutter release,
zoom switch and other
minor controls are all
positioned perfectly
PowerShot G3 and top-of-the-range Nikons.
Direct shutter speed and aperture control is easier
on this camera than on many compacts (see the
Minolta DiMAGE F300 on page 28), thanks to the
thumbwheel controller and the intelligent control
layout in general. What’s more, the main mode dial
offers direct access to the Program, aperture-priority,
shutter-priority and manual modes – no more
fiddling about with menus.
You can change the metering pattern, apply
exposure compensation, change the flash mode
and swap the memory card slot in use, all via
buttons on the camera. What’s more, when you do
need to access menu functions, the four-way
navipad on the backplate offers short-cut access to
all the major functions like the quality setting, white
balance and more.
OLYMPUS C-5050 ZOOM FULL SPECIFICATIONS
Sensor
Lens
Focus
Exposure modes
Metering
Monitor
AE compensation
Flash
Video output
WORTH
A LOOK
2
5-megapixel, 1/1.8-inch 5.3MP CCD
Olympus f1.8-2.6 3x lens
Auto, manual, 20cm in Macro mode, 3cm in
Super Macro mode
manual, scene modes
Digital ESP, spot, multi-spot
Auto, on, off, slow, slow 2nd curtain, red-eye
PAL or NTSC
OLYMPUS
C-50
£500/5MP
MINOLTA
DIMAGE F300
£500/5MP
Movie recording
Other features
Image storage
Batteries
Battery life
AC adaptor
Weight
Dimensions
Transfer
Software
OS
CASIO
QV-5700
£550/5MP
THUMBWHEEL
The thumbwheel
controller speeds
up many operations,
but it could be
easier to get to
Image quality
This comes across as such a good camera,
even before you use it, that the image
quality seems almost incidental
biggest surprise. Its crackle-black finish isn’t just easy
to grip, it feels extremely durable, too, not to say
expensive. That impression is echoed throughout the
camera, which feels weighty and solid in your hands
and has very robust, positive-feeling controls.
What’s more, the controls are all in the right
place. Admittedly, the new thumbwheel directly
below the mode dial is a little awkward to get to,
but you adapt soon enough and it does speed up
many operations and settings.
We particularly like the swivelling LCD panel,
which can flip upwards through 90 degrees to make
waist-level and tripod-mounted shooting far easier. It
tilts up to 20 degrees the other way, too, for
overhead shots. Interestingly, the limited movements
of this LCD feel a lot more useful and logical than
the flip-out-and-swivel LCDs on the Canon
7
LCD
The LCD panel
hinges up through
90 degrees for
waist-level
compositions
1
320 x 240 at 15fps without sound
Multiple memory card slots:
xD-Picture Card, SmartMedia, Compact Flash
4x AA or 2x CR-V3
Not quoted
Supplied
77mm(w) x 69mm(h) x 22mm(d)
USB
Olympus Camedia Master Suite
Win98/Me/2000/XP. Mac OS8.6-9.2.2, OSX 10.0.4
NIKON COOLPIX
5000
£700/5MP
This comes across as such a good camera, even
before you use it, that the image quality seems
almost incidental. It’s not, of course. Here, though,
the C-5050 Zoom is just as impressive. Shots are
uniformly well-exposed, extremely sharp (though
maybe a fraction over-sharpened here and there)
and punchy. It even managed to produce colourful,
contrasty shots during the flat, dull spell that lasted
all through our test period. The focusing didn’t trip
up once, colours were always neutral and the
Olympus impressed us with every shot it took.
This is an extremely good camera. The Canon
PowerShot G2 was once considered one of the best
non-SLR digital cameras around, but the C-5050
knocks it, and its successor the G3, into a cocked hat.
It feels far more solid, handles better and the
finish and controls are just wonderful. It’s packed
with all the features serious photographers could
need, and it makes them all readily accessible with
a very well-planned control layout. What’s more,
there isn’t a 5-megapixel camera on the market that
can beat its image quality. At £650, the C-5050 is an
absolute steal…
Verdict
7
Olympus’s proam camera range
just gets better
and better
A classic Olympus shape but a
continually improved finish, layout
and design – together with first-rate
results – make the C-5050 the best
camera and cheapest in its class…
5
6
PRO Excellent exposure control and detail
rendition, producing good, punchy images
CON Maybe inclined towards slight over
sharpening now and again, but that’s easily
2 INDOOR SHOTS
5
6
PRO The 35mm (equivalent) lens is wide with a
f1.8 maximum aperture
CON Again, no ‘cons’? The C-5050 has got a ‘second
curtain’ flash mode for realistic slow flash shots
2 IMAGE QUALITY
5
6
PRO Biting sharpness, accurate exposure, good
colour saturation and contrast
CON Apart from some faint over sharpening, this
camera appears to have no weaknesses
FEATURES
IMAGES
BUILD
VALUE
93
96
98
95
1
1
1
1
96%
FINAL
SCORE
031
REVIEWS
3.1-MEGAPIXEL CAMERA
FUJIFILM FINEPIX S602 PRO
Price
Resolution
Lens
Memory
Battery Life
Contact
£700
3.1 megapixels (6-megapixel output)
f2.8-3.1 6x zoom
340MB MicroDrive
240 shots (using EVF and MicroDrive)
FujiFilm 020 7586 1477 www.fujifilm.co.uk
FujiFilm FinePix S602
Can you really get professional-level photographic tools this far under £1,000? FujiFilm
seems to think so, and maybe we could be convinced too
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DIGITAL RANGE
FUJIFILM
FINEPIX S2 PRO
Price: £1,700
Megapixels: 6
5
FINEPIX S602 PRO
Price: £700
Megapixels: 3.1
FINEPIX S602
Price: £550
Megapixels: 3.1
FINEPIX M603
Price: £600
Megapixels: 3.1
£
5
032
FINEPIX S601
Price: £400
Megapixels: 3.1
F
ujiFilm is one of the few manufactures to
design and build its own imaging chips. Its
novel SuperCCD design uses hardware/
software interpolation to produce the final image sizes,
and while the raw resolution of SuperCCDs looks a little
low compared with similarly-priced rivals, the image
quality it produces is some way higher than the raw
resolution would suggest.
It’ll be interesting to see what FujiFilm’s new HR and
SR imaging chips can do. These will be appearing in
new models during 2003. The HR SuperCCD chips are
much smaller, allowing even more compact digital
camera designs; while the SR chips use double-barrelled
image sensors for a far higher dynamic range than
digital cameras have so far been capable of recording.
In the meantime, the existing models still offer very
good results and, indeed, value for money. The S602 Pro
is a good example, offering a number of significant
enhancements over the existing S602, and pushing it
into professional territory but without the price tag that
normally goes with it.
2
3
7
LENS
The S602 Pro’s 6x
optical zoom is useful,
but its zooming
range is now by no
means unique
Professional features
The S602 Pro has four major enhancements over the
base model. And arguably the most important is
the provision of an external flash sync socket on
the front of the camera. Most 4-megapixel and above
digital cameras have enough resolution for many types
of pro work, but don’t work with studio flash setups.
Instead, you’re stuck with the weedy on-camera
flashguns, which don’t offer the power or the lighting
control – you can’t take them off and move them
around. With its studio flash capability, the S602 Pro
leaps straight out of the amateur market and into the
professional sphere.
It incorporates another modification – a very slight
one this time – which could also make a big difference.
It’s now possible to screw a conventional cable release
into the shutter button, making macro shots, still lives
and time exposures far easier.
The S602 is reasonably light on batteries, and even
runs pretty well on alkalines. But the Pro version comes
with a set of rechargeable NiMH cells and a charger.
And, to top off the Pro package, you get a 340MB
MicroDrive thrown in. That gives you a lot more storage
for not much more cash. And, although MicroDrives are
power-hungry, according to FujiFilm’s figures it doesn’t
make much of a dent in the S602 Pro’s capacity – only
around ten shots per battery charge.
Build and handling
The S602 Pro model doesn’t just represent a cosmetic
marketing revamp, then. Sold alongside the standard
S602, it offers genuine extra value and capabilities. And
all this with a camera that’s got a great deal to offer in
7
LENS
FOCUSING RING
The large manual
focusing ring makes the
S602 Pro perfect for
serious photographers
many other ways. The S602 Pro is a long way from
being compact, but it’s chunky and ‘grippable’ (the black
crackle finish helps). The controls are positive, firm,
logically-placed and fine for those with bigger-thanaverage hands as well as the rest of us (how often can
you say that about a digital camera?). It doesn’t have
the metal finish of some of its upmarket rivals, but that
means it’s not slippery either and your fingers won’t
freeze in cold weather.
The S602 Pro is well specified. With a choice of three
metering patterns and a whole range of exposure
modes, it can cope with any kind of subject and lighting
conditions and, indeed, any level of user expertise. You
can stick it on full auto for those who don’t know what
TURN THE PAGE TO
COMPARE TEST SHOTS
7
FLASH
The S602s built-in flash
is supplemented on
this Pro model with an
external flash sync
socket for hooking up
to studio lights
1
5
6
4
7
there are other factors to take into account, like its
good colour balance and saturation.
Our camera, though, didn’t provide the image
‘bite’ we’re used to seeing from SuperCCD cameras.
It showed a slight softness which could, admittedly,
be attributed in part to the relentlessly dull and
overcast weather conditions that plagued our
outdoor tests. The S602 Pro showed another
characteristic we’ve come to expect from this
SuperCCD, and that’s punchy reds that are actually a
bit overblown and lack tonal separation. A
comparatively minor quibble, but worth pointing out.
The professional’s choice?
The S602 Pro really does have ‘pro’ features. One of
the major factors that would put a professional off
buying an ordinary digital camera is not necessarily
2
3.1-megapixel, 1/1.7-inch 3.3MP SuperCCD
Super-EBC Fujinon f2.8-3.1 6x lens
Auto, manual, Macro, Super Macro mode
manual, scene modes
64-zone multi-pattern, spot, average
Auto, on, off, slow, red-eye, slow with red-eye
PAL
FUJIFILM FINEPIX
S602
£550/3.1MP
NIKON COOLPIX
5700
£900/5MP
Electronic ViewFinder
The EVF is bright and
responsive, but it’s no
substitute for the optical
SLR system found on
expensive cameras
Other features
Image storage
Batteries
Battery life
AC adaptor
Weight
Dimensions
Transfer
Software
OS
MINOLTA
DIMAGE 7HI
£970/5MP
1
Dual media slots, external flash sync,
Compact Flash/MicroDrive, SmartMedia
4 x AA
240 shots (using EVF and MicroDrive)
Supplied
500g (excluding batteries)
121mm(w) x 81.5mm(h) x 97mm(d)
USB
FinePix Viewer, DP Editor, VideoImpression,
PhotoDeluxe 4.0HE
Win98/Me, 2000 or XP, Mac OS 8.6-9.2, OS X
MINOLTA
DIMAGE 7I
£700/5MP
the image quality, but the inability to hook up to
professional studio flash systems. Battery power
would be another issue and limited storage capacity
a third – and the S602 Pro tackles these to one
degree or another. The threaded shutter release is a
simple but smart move, too.
But the 3.1-megapixel SuperCCD does feel like the
weak link here. The S602 Pro is a great camera in
terms of features, build and handling, but put the
images up against those from the 5-megapixel
Olympus C-5050, for example, and the difference in
detail rendition is obvious. At 1:1 on-screen
magnifications, the edge effects and sharpening
artefacts of the SuperCCD’s 6-megapixel interpolation
become obvious.
FujiFilm will be keen to point out that outright
definition isn’t the only measure of image quality.
Quite right. Dynamic range, saturation and colour
balance are extremely important, too, and the
S602 Pro does very well in all of these areas.
But fine detail is its Achilles heel, and if you’re the
sort of photographer who puts razor-sharp definition
right at the top of your wish-list, then the S602
Pro’s not for you…
Verdict
FUJIFILM FINEPIX S602 PRO FULL SPECIFICATIONS
CON Inclined to overexpose a little in flat lighting.
You might need to focus manually in poor light
7
LCD
The 1.8-inch LCD is
bright and crisp,
and the rest of the
backplate controls
are good, too
they’re doing and leave the camera to sort
everything out.
The movie mode is quite a surprise, too. Most
digital cameras can only manage a sluggish 15fps
frame rate and a modest 320 x 240 resolution,
but the S602 Pro can shoot 30fps at 640 x 480
resolution. It’s no camcorder, but its movie quality is
far higher than most digital cameras can manage.
But what about the image quality? At this price,
the S602 Pro is mixing with some very good
4-megapixel cameras and a couple of the cheaper
5-megapixel models – including the excellent
Minolta DiMAGE 7i. The images are crisper
and sharper than you’ll get from any normal
3-megapixel camera and, in terms of detail
rendition, we’d put the S602 Pro somewhere around
the level of a good 4-megapixel model. However,
PRO The S602 Pro has nice, neutral colour
rendition and well-controlled contrast
2 OUTDOOR SHOTS
With its studio flash capability, the S602 Pro
leaps straight out of the amateur market
and into the professional sphere
WORTH
A LOOK
2 SKIN TONES
3
3
Metering
Monitor
AE compensation
Flash
Video output
Movie recording
PERFORMANCE
7
MODE AND
COMMAND DIALS
The S602 Pro’s main
mode dial is big,
clear and positive
Sensor
Lens
Focus
Exposure modes
FINEPIX S602 PRO
Genuinely pro
features and not
just a marketing
revamp
The S602 Pro addresses some key
areas for professionals, including
studio flash capability and increased
storage capacity. It’s a great camera…
5
6
PRO Again, very neutral colour, and an ability to
bring out colour on the dullest of days
CON Tends to overexaggerate reds and doesn’t
differentiate red tones too well, either
2 INDOOR SHOTS
5
6
PRO Good balance between flash and ambient
light in slow flash mode
CON Focusing can be a little unreliable and you
may need to increase the sharpness
2 IMAGE QUALITY
5
6
PRO The S602 Pro always produces clean looking
shots with good saturation and colour balance
CON Lacks the bite that we remember from
previous SuperCCD cameras
95
FEATURES
IMAGES
BUILD
VALUE
81
89
95
1
1
1
1
90%
FINAL
SCORE
033
REVIEWS
3.4-MEGAPIXEL CAMERA
SIGMA SD-9
Price
Resolution
Lens
Memory
Battery Life
Contact
£1,300 (body only), £1,640 as tested, with 17-35mm zoom
3.4 megapixels
Not supplied
Not supplied (Compact Flash/MicroDrive)
Not quoted
Sigma 01707 329 999 www.sigma-imaging-uk.com
Sigma SD-9
It’s not just the cheapest digital SLR (with interchangeable lenses) you can get, it
boasts revolutionary new imaging technology, too. Is this the future?
*
ON OUR
COVERDISC
VIRTUAL TOUR
C
ON OUR
WEBSITE
OPINIONS & SHOPPING
dcmag.co.uk/sd9
DIGITAL RANGE
SIGMA
5
SD-9
Price: £1,300
Megapixels: 3
SA-9
Price: £380
FILM CAMERA
£
5
034
SA-7
Price: £210
FILM CAMERA
S
o many digital cameras use CCDs to record
images, that it’s easy to slip into the habit of
using the term ‘CCD’ to indicate an imaging
chip. After all, Canon continues to use cheaper CMOS
chip type for its high-end digital SLRs – and with some
success. However, it’s taken little-known camera maker,
Sigma, and chip manufacturer, Foveon, to come up with
something completely new.
Conventional CCDs and CMOS chips only respond to
the intensity of light, not its colour. That’s why digital
cameras need ‘RGB filters’ overlaid on top of the chip.
Essentially, one picture sensor in four has a red filter over
it, one has a blue filter and the other two have a green
filter (the human eye is more sensitive to green, so it
gets greater emphasis). When the camera processes the
image, it has to interpolate the colour information –
essentially ‘guess’ at the colours to fill the gaps. Each red
sensor, for example, is used as the basis for calculating
the red component in three more around it.
The fact that you’re not aware this has been done
when you view the final image is testament to the
effectiveness of this interpolation. If you apply heavy
manipulation to digital camera images or distort their
individual colour channels, though, you’ll find the image
starts to break up into noise and other artefacts.
The Foveon chip is different. It copies conventional
film technology by using three sensitised layers, one on
top of the other – one to record red light, one to record
green light and one to record blue light. The result is
that no colour interpolation is necessary and images
should – in theory – be sharper, crisper and clearer.
Sigma’s assault
With the main camera manufacturers intent on
developing their existing technology, Sigma is the
company spearheading the assault with this brand new
technology. The Sigma SD-9, the first camera to use the
Foveon chip, isn’t especially remarkable in itself. It’s
comparable in specs and features to a mid-range film
SLR, offering programmed auto-exposure, aperturepriority, shutter-priority automation and full manual
2
3
7
HANDGRIP
The camera functions
are powered by two
CR123A cells, while
four AAs in the base
power the digital side
control. There’s no built-in flash and, as is usually the
case with digital SLRs, no lens is supplied. You can shop
around and pick up attractively-priced camera lens
bundles, though.
Be aware, however, that the Foveon chip is physically
smaller than the 35mm frame, so you’ll need to apply a
‘focal length factor’ to work out the lenses you need.
With the SD-9, this factor is 1.7, so the 17-35mm zoom
we used for this review is equivalent to a 29-60mm
lens on a 35mm film camera.
Buying optics for digital SLRs is expensive – superwideangles like this don’t come cheap. This lens adds
around £340 to the SD-9’s price, and if you go the
Nikon or Canon route, it’ll prove a lot more painful still.
7
LENS
You don’t get a lens with
the SD-9 – this is an
optional 17-35mm optic
At an all-in price of £1,640, though, this bundle still
comfortably undercuts the Nikon D100 and FujiFilm
FinePix S2 Pro digital SLRs.
The SD-9’s lower cost has a clear knock-on effect. It
doesn’t come with any kind of memory card, no AA
cells for powering the digital functions and – most
annoying of all – you don’t get the two little lithium
cells for powering the camera functions. These aren’t
available at your local newsagent, and it’s going to take
a trip to the local camera shop and a cheque for £10-12
to put this right.
Once it’s up and running, the SD-9 is bulky and solid
feeling. It doesn’t have the finesse of a Nikon, Canon or
FujiFilm, but it works well enough. The focusing is a bit
8
Getup&go
Where to go, what to shoot
APRIL 2003
UNFOLD
THIS 8-PAGE
SECTION!
■ Map of sites
■ Top photo tips
■ Places to visit
■ Pocket guide
BASED ON ORDNANCE SURVEY
MAPPING © CROWN COPYRIGHT, ALL
RIGHTS RESERVED: AM134/02
THIS MONTH
FROGS AND TOADS
Spring is the right time
of year to capture our
amphibious friends
HOW TO
CAPTURE
SILHOUETTES!
STEAM TRAINS
We travel to Gwynedd in
North Wales for a bit of
train spotting!
Chorus of frogs
Feeling fit? Then climb
the 199 steps to this
spectacular Yorkshire ruin
WILDLIFE Laurie Campbell heads for his garden pond to picture
amphibious breeding habits
he evening frog chorus is a sure sign that
spring is here, and frogs and toads are
emerging from their winter hibernation to set
about breeding. Once a familiar sight, these vocal
amphibians have decreased in numbers
considerably in recent years, due to changes in
land usage. They are naturally shy, making the
breeding season the best time to find them, as
they return in huge numbers to their hatching
ponds to spawn. Frogs may breed anywhere
from February to April, while toads tend to start
in March, and newts later still.
As their wetland habitats have declined, frogs
T
ROCKY CLOSE-UPS
Cornwall’s Granite Coast
provides plenty of unusual
photo opportunities
Detach this section and take it on your travels!
8
8
8
in particular have taken to domestic pools,
making your garden one of the best places to
photograph them. Encourage them by providing
plenty of shady, moist shelter around a deepish
pond. Drainpipes and upturned plant pots are
useful, and make good props, too.
The two species are easy to tell apart: frogs
have slender bodies and smooth, moist skin;
toads have more bulbous bodies and dry, warty
skin. Though you’ll need to approach them
slowly to avoid frightening them, they can be
gently picked up (as long as they are not a
mating pair, or the rarer natterjack toad which is
8
WHITBY ABBEY
Fold out this
guide to
find 9 tips!
CLOSE-UP TIME
The depth of field is likely to be very shallow
on macro shots. Make sure you focus on the
eyes and everything will be fine
protected), and moved into more photogenic
surroundings. Front views often make humourous
anthropomorphic portraits, but experiment with
your images – frogs swimming in clear water
present good silhouettes when backlit.
Once breeding has taken place, look out for
spawn floating around the shallow margins of
ponds. Frog spawn grows in clumps, while toad’s
spawn is thin and straggly. It takes about three to
four weeks for tadpoles to form before they lose
their tails and grow legs to become froglets. A
macro lens will be essential here, but resist the
temptation to move the spawn!
GET SOME INFORMATION Snipe Dales Country Park – site facilities, key species, education, events, maps etc [w] www.lincstrust.co.uk/reserves/snipe/snipe.html
Getup&go to… SNIPE DALES
Shooting from
above ensures
that both the frog and the
lily are in focus
SNIPE DALES
AIM FOR SKEGNESS
Take the A158 from Lincoln east to
Skegness. Turn right onto the B1195 after
Horncastle towards Spilsby. Snipe Dales
Country Park signposted on the left.
MOVE IT
You can gently
move frogs
but make sure your
hands are wet
© Laurie Campbell 2003
Get down low and use a bean bag to
support the camera close to ground
level – tripods rarely go this low, so
make one or buy one from a camera
shop. You could be lying there a while so
wear waterproofs or use a plastic sheet.
LILY POND
8
GET DOWN AND DIRTY
8
8
8
TOP TIP
LINCOLNSHIRE
8
DETAILS
NEWT
NEWS
Newts lay
single eggs directly
onto foliage and spawn
later than frogs
© Mark Hamblin 2003
5
8
BASED ON ORDNANCE SURVEY MAPPING
© CROWN COPYRIGHT, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: AM134/02
8
HOW TO GET THERE
WHAT IS IT?
Located on the southern edge of the
Lincolnshire Wolds, Snipe Dales is one
of the few surviving areas of seminatural wet valleys. The 220 acres of
park and reserve, managed by the
Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust, includes nine
recently excavated central ponds that
have increasingly been colonised by
frogs and toads. There is open access to
the park, which includes a large area of
coniferous and deciduous woodlands.
EYES
FRONT
Use a bean
bag for support on very
low shots
LOCATION
Winceby, Near Horncastle, Lincolnshire.
WHAT ARE THE FACILITIES?
Toilets at amenity block.
WEBSITE
TADPOLE TANK
www.open.ac.uk/daptf/index.htm
The website of the Declining
Amphibian Populations Task Force.
The DAPTF raises money and distributes
this in the form of small seed grants
to projects.
This froglet was photographed in
a tank, set up in time for the
water to clear. A sheet of glass in the tank
restricts the field of movement to a couple
of inches
8
Getting it right: Use a lens of
about a 200 – 300mm focal
length, with a close-up lens or
macro facility to get in close.
Anything shorter is best kept for
habitat shots. Depth of field will
be limited so focus on the eyes.
Amphibians stay still for long
periods so short shutter speeds are
rarely required, but beware of
using flash or drives, which may
frighten them.
POST-SHOOT
THE CLONE TOOL
© Mark Hamblin 2003
Best results: Take close-ups of
tadpoles in an aquarium, fitted
with an extra sheet of glass to
contain them within a narrow field
of focus.
Free.
8
EXPERT ADVICE
Pete Martin
specialises in
travel and
general
photography
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
8
TOAD HALL
Toads are a welcome guest in
the garden. Encourage them
with shady spots such as this plant pot,
which also makes a good prop
Remove distracting background
items in your photographs using the
Clone tool. Give this a softish edge and
change its pick-up point regularly to
prevent unnatural recurring patterns
forming as you copy from elsewhere in
an image.
Getup&go to… STEAM TRAINS
ALL IMAGES © Ian Butters 2003
GWYNEDD
8
PORTHMADOG
AIM FOR BANGOR
By car: Take the A55 from Chester to
Bangor, turn onto the A487 to Porthmadog,
where the station is on the seafront.
8
HOW TO GET THERE
EVENT/ACTION FULL HEAD OF STEAM
T
5
5
hey’re dirty and smelly, and
environmentally dubious, but steam
trains still have a nostalgic romance. Ever
since Dr Beeching axed half our railway
network back in the 1950s, enthusiasts
have been reclaiming it, restoring hundreds
of miles of line and rolling stock.
You don’t have to be a trainspotter, out
on platforms in all weathers, to get good
pictures of steam locomotives in action.
Today there are many heritage lines around
the country, from recommissioned branch
lines to narrow gauge, industrial networks.
Most run a number of traditional steam
engines, sometimes with ‘visiting’ locos,
though some use diesels at quiet times.
You’ll find locomotives and rolling stock
RAILWAY CHILDREN
Celebrating 140 years of steam this
year, the Ffestiniog Railway is the
oldest independent railway company
in the world, steaming through the
spectacular Snowdonia National Park
in North Wales. This narrow gauge
line was constructed to carry slate 15
miles from the Blaenau Ffestiniog
quarries down to Porthmadog.
STEAMING ALONG
Longer exposures show movement on
panning shots; shorter ones freeze it
from many eras, and all manner of railway
paraphernalia around station platforms. As
well as pictures of trains coming and going,
there’s plenty of detail to shoot, and drivers
sometimes allow you to get footplate shots.
You may even be able to visit loco sheds to
see restoration work.
Many locomotives have been converted
to run on oil, producing a cleaner, whitish
steam that’s best photographed using
backlighting on damp, murky days.
The plumes of sulphurous smoke associated
with coal-burning engines are rarer
nowadays, but many lines run special
days when these are in use. You’ll even
find occasional photography days (and
evenings) when static displays are fired up
for visiting enthusiasts.
Most timetables enable you to get off at
various stations along a line for a range of
picture opportunities, but for great action
shots of trains charging along with a full
head of steam, it’s worth searching out
local banks, cuttings or bridges with good
views of the track. Look for these on
Ordnance Survey maps or ask at the railway
station. Always observe track safety
procedures and do not stray onto railway or
farm property without permission.
LOCATION
Ffestiniog Railway.
Adults £3.60; concessions £2.70;
children £1.80.
Toilets, café/restaurant and shop at
Porthmadog station. Wheelchair
access to most buildings and trains.
WEBSITE
5
Don't forget the details – steam trains
are full of them
DOUBLE TAKE
Accurate exposure can be difficult with
such dark subjects as steam engines
BEST RESULTS
TIPS FOR
SHOOTING TRAINS
Clouds of smoke may affect exposures,
causing loss of shadow detail on
engines. Dull days produce lower tonal
ranges, enabling more information to be
captured. Three-quarter views of
oncoming trains require shutter speeds
of about 250th sec to freeze movement.
GET SOME INFORMATION Website linking a number of Welsh narrow gauge lines [W] www.greatlittletrainsofwales.co.uk
www.festrail.co.uk
Ffestiniog railway website with all
timetables and pictorial history of
the line.
8
FOOTPLATE FOCUS
DETAILS
WHAT IS IT?
Focus on a given spot and shoot when
the engine reaches it
8
5
8
Billowing plumes of smoke evoke nostalgic days of steam railway travel for Ian Butters
POST-SHOOT
LEVELS TOOL
Use Photoshop’s Levels tool to control
the balance between highlights in the
steam and dark shadow details on the
engines. Adjust the highlight and
shadow sliders at either end of the
histogram to remove superfluous empty
areas, then use the mid slider to control
the tonal range between them.
CHECK FOR CLUTTER
Don’t let stray items
such as unwanted branches
clutter the shot. Check
around the frame before
taking the picture.
■ Now send us your pictures!
Email a small JPEG to
[email protected]
with your name & a few words
about the shoot, and we'll reply!
to fold this booklet:
8 How
This is side A. Turn over for side B
Side A
STEP 1: Detach sheet
from rest of section
8
Side A
8
STEP 2: Fold this side
in half horizontally
STEP 3: Now fold
around into a square
NORTH YORK/SILHOUETTES
SIDE B: OUT AND ABOUT ON
INDEX:
2 PHOTOGRAPH SILHOUETTES
SIDE A: HOW TO
WHAT’S IN THIS ISSUE
TRIPOD
TOPICS COVERED
>
EQUIPMENT
Three tips for
better silhouettes
6
FOLD ALONG THIS LINE SECOND
DETACH HERE
LIGHT FROM BEHIND
Do remember that silhouettes
work better when the light is
behind your subject not in
front of it.
to take pictures of North
Yorkshire’s magnificent abbey
and priory ruins
2 THE NORTH YORK MOORS
FILTERS
to shoot silhouettes
5 Looking
that really grab you? We’ll tell
■ Tips
■ Equipment
■ Dos/don’ts
LIGHTING
Exposing for the light
implies short exposure
times. Nevertheless, use a tripod to
allow smaller apertures so that all
the subject's outline is sharp.
01
on the monastic trail
5 Get
and discover the best places
2
■ Detailed maps of
how to get there
Filters can put colour into
your silhouettes, from
enhancing the light with a little
warmth, to adding a full fauxsunset effect. Graduated filters let
you control where this colour goes.
03
you what to look for and how
to make pictures really work
The key to silhouettes is
backlighting, which
should be several stops lighter
than the subject. This will normally
be the sky but can be any bright
light source.
02
LOOK FOR SIMPLE OUTLINES
Do look for subjects with simple
but interesting outlines. Make
sure these read without the detail.
Dos and don’ts
GETTING IT RIGHT: SILHOUETTE PHOTOS
.
FOLD ALONG THIS LINE FIRST
TEAROUT FACTSHEET NO.6
APRIL 2003
Getup&go
Getup&go HOW TO SHOOT SILHOUETTES
8
Few images are more
dramatic than a stark
silhouette, strong and
black against a bright sky.
Shape is a visual stimulant for
the brain, and by reducing the
tonal range of your subject to
little more than a dark
shadow against the light, the
eye is free to wander around
its outline, leaving the mind
to fill in the detail. Result? An
intriguing and powerful
photograph. Chances are it
has happened by accident
before when you’ve shot into
the sun. Let’s help you get it
right every time you want it.
SUITABLE SUBJECTS
1
Any subject that has
a strong, evocative outline
will make a good silhouette
photograph. In town, look
out for a skyline of chimneys
and television aerials,
church towers and spires,
and suspension and
girder bridges. Out in the
countryside, keep an eye
out for trees, bare or in full
leaf, and dramatically-shaped
rock formations. Ruined
abbeys and castles also make
perfect subjects, with gothic
windows and battlements
creating intriguing shapes
within the silhouette.
EXPOSURE FOR
SILHOUETTES
2
The easiest way to create a
silhouette is to expose for the
sky. Simply aim your camera
at an area of sky that
excludes the sun, so that it
fills the frame. Trap the
light reading with the
camera’s exposure lock,
then recompose your shot
around the subject and
press the shutter. Experiment
with readings from different
parts of the sky to see what
works best.
FOCAL LENGTH
MATTERS
3
With a wide-angle lens and a
backlit subject you’ll probably
shapes, both behind and in
front of the subject, that
merge with your subject and
confuse the issue. A low point
of view will place more of
the subject against the sky
and reduce the number of
potentially conflicting items.
produce a silhouette
simply by pointing and
shooting on auto exposure.
The subject’s normal
exposure is overwhelmed
by the large light source,
of which the sun is just a
small part. But a telephoto
narrows the angle of vision,
and if the sun is in shot it can
unduly influence the light
reading, causing your picture
to be underexposed. Instead,
meter from an area of sky
close to the sun but excluding
this from the frame.
5
6
USE YOUR EYES
What our eyes see is
interpreted by the brain, and
often we don’t notice
overhanging branches or
rubbish bins protruding into
the picture. Train your eyes
to act objectively like a
lens, recording everything
before it. To decide if a scene
will work as a silhouette,
squint at it through half
closed eyes. This reduces
the contrast range and
excludes a lot of tonal detail,
letting the shadows and
highlights dominate.
7
INTRODUCE
SOME COLOUR
Put more colour into a sunset
sky by fitting a coloured filter
over your lens. 81 series
warm-up filters do just that,
orange and red filters are
full-on! If your camera won’t
accept filters, simply hold
them in front of the lens.
8
NOT JUST THE SKY
Don’t just look for
silhouettes against the sky.
Any bright light source will
do, whether it’s a lamp, a
reflection of the sky in a
pool, or a brightly lit subject.
Just make sure its light
intensity is 2 or 3 stops more
than that on the subject.
KEEP IT SIMPLE
Keep silhouettes
simple, clean and easy to
‘read’. Beware of conflicting
NO SILHOUETTE?
4
If you want a
normally exposed subject
and not a silhouette
when shooting into the
light, move in close and
take a reading with the
subject filling the frame.
Trap the exposure then
move back and
recompose before
shooting. Alternatively,
use a little fill-in flash to
illuminate the subject,
exposing generally for
the background.
CONTROL THE SKY
9
Use graduated neutral density filters to darken parts of a plain sky. These work by
reducing the amount of light in a stepless progression across the image from zero to the
maximum density of the filter, which will be calibrated in stops – for example, a one or two stop
filter. Beware that they can affect the silhouette, too, if not used with care.
Getup&go... routeplanner
PULLOUT NO.6
Follow North Yorkshire’s monastic trail
North Yorkshire is full of magnificent ruined abbeys, and they’re all in fabulous locations for great photographs
TAKEN FROM ROAD MAP 4
21
2 1 RIEVAULX ABBEY
WHAT IS IT? The earliest of the great Cistercian abbeys, Rievaulx
is unusually built on a north-south axis rather than an east-west
one. Founded in 1132, much of the church building, along with
the refectory, is well preserved in its tranquil valley setting. But
the outer walls have gone, leaving the high clerestory windows
suspended in mid air on the graceful nave columns.
WHERE IS IT? At Helmsley, on the A170, 13 miles east of Thirsk.
WHILE YOU’RE THERE Visit nearby 12th century Helmsley Castle
or Duncombe Park, an 18th century baroque mansion with an
outstanding English landscape garden where you can find some
of the oldest trees in the country.
ENTRANCE 10am-6pm daily. Adults £3.60, children £1.80.
FAMILY FRIENDLY? Snacks are available at Rievaulx but there’s a
great tearoom a couple of miles away at Duncombe Park,
offering home baking and a children’s playground.
MORE INFO www.english-heritage.org.uk
2 2 MOUNT GRACE PRIORY
WHAT IS IT? Explore the faithfully restored two-storey cell, with
its own little garden, to see how a monk would have lived in
the 16th century. There’s also an exhibition in the Arts and
Crafts style restoration of the old manor house, on the site of
the old priory guest house.
WHERE IS IT On the A19, 10 miles north of Thirsk.
FAMILY FRIENDLY? Apart from picnicking in the wooded grounds,
there’s little to keep children interested, so why not treat them
to the World of James Herriott, a fascinating recreation of the
life of the famous literary vet, housed in the former surgery of
author, Alf Wight, just off the Market Place in nearby Thirsk.
MORE INFO www.english-heritage.org.uk
BASED ON ORDNANCE SURVEY MAPPING © CROWN COPYRIGHT, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: AM134/02
© CROWN COPYRIGHT, ALL RIGHTS
RESERVED: AM134/02
2 3 FOUNTAINS ABBEY
WHAT IS IT? The jewel of Yorkshire monasticism, and one of the
few abbeys to survive Henry Vlll’s rampages with little damage,
Fountains Abbey dates from 1132. The remarkably preserved
refectory buildings still allow a good insight into monastic life.
WHERE IS IT? 2 miles west of Ripon, off the A61.
WHILE YOU’RE THERE Yorkshire’s only World Heritage Site,
Fountains Abbey is part of Studley Royal, 150 acres of exquisite
Georgian gardens packed with lakes, cascades, temples and
gazebos to explore.
FAMILY FRIENDLY? There are plenty of activities to keep the
children happy.
MORE INFO www.fountainsabbey.org.uk
orkshire was once home to many of England’s
greatest abbeys, and if you’re visiting Whitby
Abbey, it’s worth seeking out the other religious
ruins in the area. The wild medieval landscape of the
North York Moors attracted the Cistercians in
particular, and it is their abbeys that dominate the
region, from Rievaulx to Fountains Abbey, Byland
and more. A convenient circular route takes in the
major sites, with the added bonus of the moors and
some fine coastline around Scarborough to keep the
kids happy.
Y
Getup&go to… CAPE CORNWALL
8
ALL IMAGES ©Tony Howell
CORNWALL
CAPE CORNWALL
AIM FOR PENZANCE
By car: Take the A30 to Penzance
then follow the A3071 to St Just, from
where the National Trust car park is
signposted west of the village.
8
HOW TO GET THERE
8
LANDSCAPE CLOSE ENCOUNTERS
WHAT IS IT?
Cape Cornwall is the only cape in
England, separating the Bristol
and English Channels. Accessed
on foot by the South West Coastal
Footpath, and now protected by the
National Trust, its dramatic granite
landscape is surmounted by a ruined
chimney stack, the only evidence of
unsuccessful tin workings here in the
19th century. The cliffs give way on the
southern side to the small, pebbly
beach at Priest's Cove.
softly rounded by the constant action of
the waves.
You’ll need to explore around low tide
when the granite shore is exposed. One of
the attractions of the Cornish coast is
beach-combing – walking the tide line
looking for what has washed up. Such
serendipity will turn up no end of intimate
abstract images here among the rock
pools and seaweed. The sheltered boulder
beach at Priest’s Cove is covered with
granite pebbles of all sizes and shapes,
regularly rearranged at the whim of the
tides, while further around the cape the
bedrock has been scoured into a
succession of weird shapes by the action
of waves and tumbling boulders.
WAVE POWER
The action of waves and boulders has
scoured this pattern in the rocks
The natural colour of the granite here
is white but the action of algaes has
tinted it brown and green in places. An
ebb tide leaves the rocks looking wet and
shiny, while the incoming tide provides
matter images. Look for attractive rock
formations or arrangements of pebbles,
using your viewing screen to frame
possible compositions.
8
8
Car park £1.50.
Parking, food and drink available.
LIMPET LAND
Low sun creates strong shadows of the
limpets, throwing them into sharp relief
WEBSITE
www.cornwalltouristboard.co.uk
GETTING IT RIGHT
Check a tide table to find out when low
tide corresponds with late afternoon or
early morning. Strong side lighting gives
a more 3D feel to rock formations and
pebbles, but may cause exposure
problems on light stone. Subtle colour
differences will be rendered more
accurately and with better saturation in
flat lighting. A polariser gives more
translucence to the water in rock pools
by reducing the reflections.
To get both foreground interest and
the background in focus, use a
wide-angle lens and a hyperfocal
focusing technique.
GET SOME INFORMATION Cornwall tourist board has information on where to stay, places to visits, events, walks etc [w] www.cornwalltouristboard.co.uk
8
A long exposure blurs the waves to a
mist around the rocks
Cape Cornwall.
BEST RESULTS
TOP TIP
MISTY WATER
LOCATION
8
ot for nothing is Cornwall called the
Granite County, and nowhere is this
more apt than the coastline around Land’s
End, where the Atlantic breakers roll into
lash incessantly against the rugged granite
cliffs. The area can’t fail to produce
dramatic landscape pictures, but just a few
miles to the north, the cliffs and beaches
around Cape Cornwall allow you to get up
close and personal with this most ancient
of rocks.
The ancient beach that once lay here
was raised up, then covered by deposits
from the last Ice Age, which are now
slowly eroding the present tidal beach
below. The result of this geological
action is an area rich in granite boulders,
8
The Granite Coast lures Tony Howell down to Cornwall in search of rocky close-ups
N
DETAILS
POST-SHOOT
IMAGE EDITING
Highlight pebble arrangements by
adjusting the lighting ratio between
the foreground and background.
Select the desired foreground subject
then feather this by 3-4 pixels. Create
an Adjustment Layer from this selection
and adjust the Levels or Curves as
desired. Use the Inverse selection
to create and adjust a background layer
if required.
8
SEEING DOU
8
Getup&go to… WHITBY ABBEY
GHOUL TIM
The medieval fis
of the abbey in t
A long time expo
of handheld flas
Gothic romance
and roofless, it’s easy to why Bram Stoker used
the abbey as the setting for his novel, Dracula.
Though its fishing fleet is diminishing, Whitby
itself is still picturesque. There are fine views
from the abbey headland, but you’ll get better
ones from the opposing hilltop across the River
Esk, where a huge arch of whalebones and a
statue of Whitby’s son, Captain Cook, provide a
foreground counterpoint to the abbey standing
proud above the town. It’s worth parking here
and walking down into town after a quick
shooting session, returning later for the evening
light, when the local sandstone and red roof
tiles glow golden.
BEST RESULTS
ARCHITECTURAL PICTURES
Architectural photography demands
attention to a building's verticals to
prevent it looking like it is falling
backwards. Wide-angle lenses are the
worst culprits, so make sure the camera
back is upright as you compose your
shot. Alternatively, shoot from further
back (or a higher viewpoint) on a
longer lens. Either way, a tripod makes
for a more considered approach.
8
8
enry Vlll’s dissolution of the monasteries
in the mid-16th century destroyed much
of Britain’s best religious architecture, but the
ruins that remain still cast an irresistible spell
over photographers. Yorkshire has many such
monuments to one man’s power, as far afield as
Rievaulx and Fountains Abbey, but none have
such a spectacular setting as Whitby Abbey.
Isolated high on a headland overlooking the
colourful fishing port, Whitby Abbey is reached
by a 199-step climb from the cobbled streets – a
most dramatic but tiring approach! Its elevated
situation allows atmospheric, brooding
silhouettes against the sky. The empty gothic
windows and arches of the east face make a
good subject for this treatment, especially in
spring when the setting sun is directly behind it.
A medieval fishpond here creates fine
foreground interest and is excellent for
reflections. The west side is more limited but
offers good shots over gravestones in front of
the adjoining 12th century St Mary’s church. This
is also the spot to head for if your visit is outside
opening hours.
Close up, the abbey’s soft sandstone is badly
weathered and much detail is lost, but the pillar
stumps that remain after the nave collapsed in
1762 make useful foreground devices. Gaunt
H
8
LANDSCAPE Mike Kipling dons fangs and a cloak to visit
Count Dracula’s favoured Yorkshire haunt, Whitby Abbey
GET SOME INFORMATION There are plenty more of our heritage sites to visit around the country [W] www.theheritagetrail.co.uk
8
WET GRASS
The fishpond offers useful foreground
material in this photograph
SOFT BREATH
This ethereal image was achieved with an orange filter and by
breathing on the lens to give a soft-focus effect
EVENING LIG
The church grave
face of the abbe
NORTH YORKSHIRE
8
UBLE
sh pond provides excellent reflections
the late afternoon sun
WHITBY ABBEY
ME
AIM FOR SCARBOROUGH
osure allows time for several bursts
h to illuminate the gravestones
ALL IMAGES © Mike Kipling
8
Essentially the same shot as our main one (left),
you can see what a difference a few minutes
makes to the light, and to the treatment
COOK'S LAND
The silhouetted statue of Captain Cook provides
excellent foreground interest for this shot of the
abbey across the river from the opposite hilltop
HOW TO GET THERE
8
8
eyard offers the best view of the west
ey
SOFT LIGHT
8
DETAILS
WHAT IS IT?
8
GHT
By car: Turn off the A1(M) near Thirsk
onto the A170 east to Scarborough. Turn
north here onto the A171.
The original church dates back to 657,
but was destroyed in 867 by invading
Vikings. Revived in 1070 by the
Normans, only to be rebuilt a third time
in 1220, it finally met its end at Henry
Vlll's hands in 1538, after which it fell
into decay, never to be rebuilt. Bram
Stoker put Whitby on the literary map
in 1897, using the town and abbey as a
major setting in his novel, Dracula.
SHADY SILHOUETTE
Shooting against the sunset adds drama,
while a graduated neutral density filter
darkens the sky to great effect
Adults £3.60, concessions £2.70,
children £1.80.
OPENING TIMES
10am-4am until 31st March, 10am-6pm
thereafter. Tel 01947 603 568.
Toilets and shop at the site.
INFORMATION
11th –12th April, thousands of goths will
gather for Whitby's Gothic Weekend.
8
POST-SHOOT
CONVERGING VERTICALS
Correct any converging verticals with
Photoshop. If the subject is central,
Select All, then go to Transform/
Perspective (Edit) and pull out the top
corners until the verticals are right (use
the Distort control on individual corners
if the subject isn’t central). Stretch the
resulting picture slightly to prevent the
image looking squashed by pulling up
the top edge with the Distort control.
SIGMA SD-9
PERFORMANCE
2 SKIN TONES
7
MODE DIAL
The SD-9’s a
no-nonsense
camera with nononsense controls
1
5
6
4
7
3
The SD-9 has some other interesting characteristics.
It doesn’t save images in JPEG or TIFF format at all.
Instead, it saves them in its proprietary RAW format.
Each file is around 8MB, so you’d better get your
wallet out again to buy some large-scale Compact
Flash or IBM Microdrive storage. Once you’ve
transferred these RAW images to your computer, you
use the bundled Sigma Photo Pro software to open,
decode and optimise them. Now it’s possible to
save them in whichever format you like.
This is the first hint you get that the Foveon chip
development (or the SD-9) may have some way to
go. The dim and murky images on the LCD look dim
and murky here, too. Leaving the software set to
auto-optimisation improves them, but there’s still a
good deal of work to be done in Photoshop if you
want to match the brilliance and clarity of rival
digital SLRs.
But while you’re messing around in Photoshop, if
you try out the Unsharp Mask filter, you’ll discover
something very interesting. The interpolation
techniques of existing sensors mean you can
only take this so far before digital artefacts wreck
the image. And yet, with the SD-9’s images
you can really wind up the sharpness and reveal
some quite startling underlying definition. On a
good day, the SD-9 will give a 6-megapixel digital
Sensor
Lens
Focus
Exposure modes
Metering
Monitor
AE compensation
Flash
Video output
Movie recording
Other features
WORTH
A LOOK
2
3.4-megapixel, 3.5MP Foveon X3 CMOS chip
Not supplied
N/A
Program AE, shutter-priority, aperture-priority, man
8-zone evaluative, centre-weighted, centre
Not supplied
PAL or NTSC
No
Interchangeable lenses, FireWire and USB
OLYMPUS
E-20
£1,200/5.0 MP
MINOLTA
DIMAGE 7HI
£970/5MP
Image storage
Batteries
Battery life
AC adaptor
Weight
Dimensions
Transfer
Software
OS
NIKON D100
£1,700 (body
only)/6.1MP
Between them, the SD-9 and the Foveon chip have
introduced a dramatically different imaging
technology at a highly affordable price. As yet,
though, the image quality doesn’t live up to its
promise. You’ll need to do a lot of image-editing
work to reveal this duo’s potential, and most people
want good results straight out of the box.
We’ve also a couple of concerns about reliability.
We’ve had three different SD-9s pass through our
hands now: one was DOA, one worked fine and this
one introduced horizontal stripes in some images. All
of which leaves us with a bit of a dilemma. The
technical superiority and potential image quality of
the Foveon chip is obvious. What’s more, the
SD-9 is the cheapest digital SLR you can get. At the
moment, though, the implementation of this new
technology – whether it’s the camera’s or the chip’s
fault – isn’t good enough to make us want to spend
all that cash.
1
SIGMA SD-9 FULL SPECIFICATIONS
Compact Flash/Microdrive
4x AA for digital functions, 2x CR123A for
camera functions
Not quoted
Supplied
803g (without batteries or lens)
152mm(w) x 120mm(h) x 79mm(d)
USB & FireWire
Sigma Photo Pro
Windows 98SE/Me/2000/XP. Mac 9.2.1, OSX
10.1.1 or later
FUJIFILM FINEPIX S2 PRO
£1,700 (body only)/6MP
(12- megapixel output
5
6
PRO Lots of detail to be found if you’ve got time
to work on the images, with a good tonal range
CON Gloomy looking, it takes some hefty software
tweaks to restore normal looking tones
2 INDOOR SHOTS
The next big thing?
Verdict
X3 images
NAVIPAD
The controls are
logical and the
menus easy
to navigate
SLR a nasty fright, even though it’s only got a
3-megapixel chip (strictly, 3 x 3, since there are
three sensor layers).
With the SD-9’s images, you can really
wind up the sharpness and reveal some
quite startling underlying definition
hit and miss, though, and in tricky conditions we
often had to switch to manual. Worse still is the LCD
panel on the back which, despite its 130,000-pixel
resolution, proved dim, murky and sluggish. Or was
it the recorded images that were dim and murky?
7
LCD
A £1,300 camera needs
a better LCD than this –
or maybe it’s the
Foveon chip’s initially
murky results
LENS
You can fit any of
Sigma’s extensive lens
range to this camera
CON Too much manipulation needed – you’ll end
up choosing the skin tones you want manually
2 OUTDOOR SHOTS
3
7
PRO A bit grey in our tests, though the Photo Pro
Software can fix this
The imaging
technology has
clear potential,
but it’s early days
If you spend time optimising the
S-D9’s images, it’s clear what the
Foveon chip is capable of. But most
users will be disappointed by the
out-of-the-box image quality
5
6
PRO If you opt for the 17-35mm Sigma lens, you’ll
get a 29mm equivalent wideangle view
CON Without flash, you’ll have to rely on the long
tonal range to capture high contrast shots like this
2 IMAGE QUALITY
5
6
PRO You can resample and sharpen the SD-9’s
images to match those from a 6-megapixel SLR
CON The default image quality is way below
that you get from rival cameras
81
FEATURES
IMAGES
BUILD
VALUE
65
77
94
1
1
1
1
79%
FINAL
SCORE
035
REVIEWS
IMAGE ENHANCEMENT SOFTWARE
MAT BROOMFIELD
Mat Broomfield has been writing about computers for 15 years and has been involved
in digital imaging since the first PC version of Photoshop. He may be unhealthily fond
of his Olympus E10
WEBSITE WWW.FUTURENET.CO.UK
Silverfast AI DC Pro 6
Accelerate your image processing workflow and help your digital photos to be all that they can be.
Mat Broomfield tests a versatile program aimed at novices and serious pros alike
0
INFO
SILVERFAST AI DC PRO V6
Price $299 US Pro version
$119 standard version
Manufacturer Lasersoft Imaging
Tel 00 494 315600927
Website www.silverfast.com
x KEY FEATURES
CONTROLS
■ Offers cheaper, more advanced
and versatile enhancement tools
than Photoshop
■ Guides novices gently through
the enhancement process
■ Fully compliant with ICM colour
management
■ Includes tools for professional
printers and publishers
■ Numerous colour models
supported
■ Adjust exposure, white balance,
gamma, histogram and more
■ Dust and scratch removal
■ Red eye removal
■ Digital lightbox
■ Batch processing
0
EXPERT TIP
Mat Broomfield
PC EXPERT
LIGHT TABLE
Use the Virtual Light Table to
select images for individual
or batch processing.
036
ou might think the market is flooded with
photo-editing programs but there’s still room
for a program that focuses exclusively on the
enhancement stage of digital imaging.
Silverfast AI DC has evolved from one of the world’s
most professional and beloved scanner driver programs.
In most ways, scanning an image and processing one
from a digital camera are very similar. In both cases, the
objective is to tweak, or sometimes drastically modify
the digital image data – usually that means adjusting
the brightness, contrast and gamma, perhaps
sharpening an image or removing a colour cast but it
might involve something as radical as completely
replacing colours within an image.
Silverfast can handle all that and more, but what
makes the program particularly useful is its ability to
satisfy various user skill levels. If you’re new to image
processing, the program will take you by the hand and
using an almost fully-automated approach, it will
enhance your photos until they meet with your
approval. If on the other hand, you’re a professional
photographer or publisher who needs to balance
images according to the needs of a particular print
process, or manipulate your images within a tightly
colour-managed workflow then Silverfast AI can handle
that with equal aplomb.
Y
2 USING SILVERFAST DC
There’s a wide range
of tools for the novice
and more experienced
digital photographer
01
02
01 Preview window
This shows the current image you’re
working on and any colour or
brightness adjustments you make.
The filter effects are only made to
the final saved image.
03
02 Filters
After colour, contrast and brightness
adjustments you can add filters.
Filters that can be applied in
combination sometimes share the
same dialogue box, but not always.
04
03 Slider controls
You can make adjustments to
your photo’s contrast and white
balance levels using these little
slider tools.
05
06
04 Job Manager
You can perform complex
enhancement sequences with this
tool. You can even modify stages to
add unique elements to sub-groups
within the job.
05 Scan Pilot
A wizard-based tool for
adjusting images step by step.
You can define which stages are
included in the procedure, so
complexity grows in pace with
your growing skill level.
06 Densitometer
The Densitometer gives you
numerical feedback of the pixel
beneath the cursor, so you can
check that the colours fall
within the parameters of your
print progress.
Mass produced
When you first load the program, you’ll be greeted by
the Lightbox and the Scan Pilot. The Lightbox is an
overly simplistic integrated cataloguing program that
enables you to view all of your images and select those
for processing. Silverfast offers extensive batch
processing modes, in which you can perform identical
processes on multiple images. Better yet, you can create
sub-processes within a batch, and apply that to all or
some of the images in the batch. For instance, you may
wish to auto-adjust the gamma for every image, but
only run a particular filter over those images that are
larger than a specific size.
Novices will appreciate Scan Pilot, the super-friendly
step-by-step tool that automates the process of
enhancing photos and the great thing is, by following
the Scan Pilot stages, you get used to editing your
images in the right way – adjusting brightness and
gamma first, then making colour adjustments, before
using masks and filters.
There is the option to ignore Scan Pilot and do
everything manually and plenty to keep the
professionals out there happy. You can select from
numerous colour models, and adjust the settings
by dragging sliders and adjusting input levels until
you like the onscreen result, or you can adopt a
scientific methodology, entering adjustment values
into a master numeric grid. The program also offers
colour management options to ensure that what you
see on-screen is what you print.
The program includes a fairly limited number of
photographic filters, the results of which, irritatingly, are
not shown in the preview window, which can make
cumulative or combination effects difficult to gauge.
In most cases, Silverfast offers similar functions to
those found in Photoshop, but they are organised for a
faster, more logical workflow. The enhancement
algorithms used are more versatile than Photoshop’s
and enable you to compensate for really bad
photography or difficult shooting
FINAL
conditions. An undo mode would
SCORE
have been nice, but Silverfast is still
a valuable program.
75%
REVIEWS
MINI-TEST FLASHES
Five flashy numbers…
Manufacturers have been slow to produce flashguns compatible with today’s digital cameras. Here are six of the best to date
T
oo often considered the poor relation to natural light, flash
can be a very creative light source with the right
equipment and a bit of know-how. Aside from stepping in
when the sun's not around, flash can also act as a 'fill', eliminating
harsh shadows from a subject on a sunny, cloudless day; or be put to
creative use with action shots, 'freezing' a subject in motion while
stylistic blurred trails of movement are picked up from the
surrounding ambient light. Many built-in on-camera flashguns now
include these options for fill-in flash and slow-sync, but they're also
inevitably under-powered, meaning a range of sometimes little more
than 5m. They can't be moved from their fixed, central position
either – not conducive to flattering results.
External flashguns not only offer the chance of off-camera
shooting angles, but they pack a lot more punch, with ranges that
can exceed 70m at the top-end. You're also more likely to find
features like 2nd curtain flash, stroboscopic effects and, most
importantly, the ability to tilt and swivel the flash head to 'bounce'
your flash light off reflectors, walls or ceilings for soft, even lighting.
effects. How much you spend will depend largely on your power and
feature needs, but it's not a good idea to skimp on what really
should be your second most important piece of camera kit…
METZ MECABLITZ 54MZ-3 6
Price: £277 (with required SCA 3002 adaptor),
Contact Hasselblad (www.hasselblad.co.uk),
Supplied items: None, Flash range: 42 metres
(ISO 100), Battery type: 4 AA-size (alkaline,
NiCd or NiMH), Flash modes: TTL, auto, manual
7
The Mecablitz 54MZ-3 has everything any top-of-the
-line brand flashgun can offer, so as with the cheaper
Metz Mecablitz 44MZ-2 (see opposite), it’s a choice
alternative for Canon and Fuji users wanting more for their
money (Fuji cameras traditionally use Nikon Speedlites).
Minolta Dimage users don’t have a dedicated
gun yet either, so the Metz is the best
choice here, and Olympus Camedia
owners only have the FL-40
which, for £400 shouldn’t be
an option for anyone
You get what
you pay for: this
only has limited
power range
NIKON SB-30 5
This miniature number is Nikon’s entry-level equivalent to the Canon Speedlite 220EX, but with a
guide number of just 16 metres it’s pushing the boundaries of usefulness. It’s reasonably robust,
extremely compact and does have the option of TTL, auto and manual modes, which is a pleasant
surprise. Saying that, if you’re willing to go the lengths to learn how to make the most of manual
mode, you’re likely feel rather limited with a power range of 16 metres. Other features include a
built-in wide-angle diffuser, (though this looks like it’ll snap off at the first sign of impatience),
automatic fill-in flash (with the relevant Coolpix setting) and a limited tilt for close-up subjects.
Results aren’t bad as long as you don’t stray too far from your subject, and the
FINAL
lack of a zoom reflector doesn’t cause too much trouble, but it’s touch and go
SCORE
as to whether this brings you enough advantages over built-in flash to warrant
the money. You’d be better off saving up for a higher-end model.
62%
87%
DIGITAL
CAMERA
MAGAZINE
Price: £90 Contact: Nikon (www.nikon.co.uk)
Supplied items: None, Flash range: 42 metres (ISO 100),
Battery type: 1 3V CR123A lithium, Flash modes: TTL, auto, manual
038
with sense. The 54MZ-3 is over £100 more than the
44MZ-2 and though it beats other makes in this price
range, you should still have a good think before spending
the extra cash.
You get a greater 42-metre power output with this
model – useful if you’re shooting large groups of people,
or subjects at a distance but for the most part won’t mean
any gain in quality. Feature-wise you get high-speed
synchronisation (the only way to use fill-in flash and a
wide aperture to throw your background out-of-focus on
a sunny day), power packs for fast recycling times, flash
exposure bracketing for optimum exposure, as well as 25
partial output settings. The LCD setup is also more
straightforward to use. Not
enough gains to warrant
FINAL
SCORE
the extra money for
most, though.
7
Canon, FujiFIlm and
Minolta users, take
note: this is featureladen but pricier than
the 44MZ-2
;
5
NEXT MONTH
CAMERA LENS FILTERS
7NIKON SB-50DX
Price: £200 Nikon (www.nikon.co.uk)
Supplied items: Infra-Red Filter S-9IR and Soft Case SS-50,
Flash range: 42 metres (ISO 100), Battery type: 2 3V
CR123A lithium, Flash modes: D-TTL and manual
The first thing that has to be said is that a guide number of 22 metres
really isn’t sufficient for a flashgun weighing in at £200 – yes, it’s a
significant improvement over built-in flash, but Nikon really should be
offering more for the money; Canon’s price equivalent offers a far
more useful rating of 42GN. The SB-80DX offers a much improved
guide number of 38 metres, but at an extra cost of £90. It’s a shame
that the Metz guns aren’t fully compatible with all Nikon cameras.
To some extent this power shortfall is made up elsewhere; the LCD
and backplate setup are first-rate, and there’s full dedication with
Coolpix and digital SLR flash functions such as slow-sync, rear-curtain,
3D matrix flash metering, and flash exposure compensation, and
there’s a manual mode (albeit full power output only) for the more
serious enthusiasts wishing to take real creative control, as well as a
built-in infra-red trigger for wireless slave use.
Before you get too excited though, there are some minus points in
the features list too; for example, the LCD provides no distance
shooting scale, so you’ve got to refer to an accompanying piece of
card to work out maximum flash distance at a given aperture; there’s
no swivel facility, so bounce flash is restricted to walls rather than
ceilings; and the auto zoom reflector doesn’t work
FINAL
with the Coolpix range – it has to be set manually
SCORE
on the flashgun. That’s too many faults to make
this good value.
73%
7
8 CANON SPEEDLITE 420EX
Price: £180 Contact Canon (www.canon.co.uk)
Supplied items: None, Flash range: 42 metres (ISO 100), Battery type:
4 AA-size (alkaline, lithium or NiCd), Flash modes: E-TTL only
7
The built-in wireless
feature here is a
bonus, but the low
power output isn’t
You can make the
most of Canon’s
superb E-TTL
technology with
the 420EX
For an extra 50 notes, this flashgun seems to offer disproportionately more than its
predecessor the 220EX – there’s a swivel and tilt head for bounce flash techniques,
a zoom reflector for optimised output at differing focal lengths, the ability to use it as a
slave (or master) in conjunction with other flashguns, and an altogether bigger and
sturdier build that better reflects its price tag. With the Powershot G2, G3 and Canon’s
digital SLRs, the 420EX can offer rear-curtain flash, slow-sync flash, flash exposure
compensation, flash-exposure lock and FP flash. The lack of overrides for setting
aperture and power output manually will hamper the more serious enthusiast,
particularly when balancing the light levels of foreground and background. For this
sort of control you need to look to the 550EX and be prepared to spend another
£90, or consider one of the Metz alternatives.
The extra money on the 550EX doesn’t get you vast amounts more power though
(only half a stop) – a guide number of 42 metres on the 420EX is more than adequate
for anything but serious professional use. Overall the 420EX is a
FINAL
sensible choice for beginners and more serious users alike, but a
SCORE
little pricey for a flashgun that hasn’t needed to incorporate an LCD.
78%
7METZ MECABLITZ 44MZ-2
Price: £277 (with required SCA 3002 adaptor)
Contact Hasselblad (www.hasselblad.co.uk)
Supplied items: None, Flash range: 42
metres (ISO 100), Battery type: 4
AA-size (alkaline, NiCd or NiMH),
Flash modes: TTL, auto, manual
7
Bags of
featuress make
this model
fantastic value
The Metz guns have always been considered
the best of the third-party offerings and
nearly always represent better value than
the manufacturer’s own-brand models.
The 44MZ-2 is comparable with the
Canon Speedlite 420EX (above) and the
Nikon SB-80DX in terms of power output,
but is streets ahead when it comes to
features. It has rear-curtain synchronisation,
slow-sync compatibility, auto zoom reflector, full TTL
flash mode, auto fill-in flash, and can take advantage of any other
functions that digital cameras offer, such as the flash exposure lock
and flash exposure compensation features offered by Canon
cameras, or the ADI flash control and multi-segment centreweighted metering found on Minolta’s Dimage models, and so on.
On top of this there’s full manual control, giving you the option of
manually setting aperture, ISO speed, zoom length, and power
output in eight increments – useful if you want to master flash for
truly professional results. If there’s a downside, it’s the LCD setup,
which is poorly thought out, but not enough of
FINAL
a problem to make this anything short of
SCORE
excellent value. Minolta, Olympus, Canon,
Contax and Fuji users should all consider this.
85%
039
WEB ALBUM SOFTWARE
LAB TEST
Labtest
WEB ALBUM
SOFTWARE
I
n this digital world, you’re no longer reliant on
slide projectors, photo galleries or even
physical prints to share your photos with
family, friends or a wider audience. The natural medium
for digital images is the web, but constructing a website
from scratch can be daunting, especially if your skills and
experience tend towards photography rather than Java
programming. To bridge this gap, software companies are
now releasing packages that claim to do all the hard
work for you, letting you concentrate on taking and
editing your pictures while their software takes care of
the technical details.
We’ve chosen six packages that will appeal to digital
photographers, from absolute web novices to more
experienced users. All share the ability to transform your
digital images into an organised album that can form
part of a website, but they do that in very different ways.
At the cheapest end of the market are dedicated
album creators that come with few bells and whistles,
such as image editors or graphical interfaces. You can
search any of the popular download sites (see the web
links box on page 43 for more information) for these and
prices vary from free to around £10.
If you want the reliability and support of a commercial
program, £20 to £50 will get you a basic image-editing
package with a range of pre-set templates – Photo
Explosion and Picture It! are good examples. Many of
their projects, such as greetings cards, calendars, stickers
and so on, are based around your inkjet printer but
almost all packages in this price range also include some
web projects.
Similarly priced programs that concentrate on archiving
your images and desktop/web albums are Adobe
Photoshop Album, Serif’s MediaPlus and Ulead’s Photo
Explorer, but their image-manipulation functions tend to
be limited. If you already have a good editor that can
optimise your images for web use, you might prefer to
buy a web-design package, which will cost from £50.
These allow you to put together a site from scratch, but
inevitably mean immersing yourself in the nuts and bolts
of web layout and even HTML code.
Creative features
There are three main steps to getting your images from
your camera to a website. The first is the uploading and
individual image manipulation that all digital photos
require – cropping to fit, adjusting levels and colour, plus
any creative effects you want to add. Secondly, your
finished images will need to be organised into a
coherent theme, resized to work well together visually
and often renamed. Lastly, this desktop album has to be
turned into a collection of web pages, coded in HTML and
with file sizes suitable for web use. Regardless of how
good your work is, no one is going to wait for an
uncompressed 4-megapixel image to download over a
56K dial-up connection.
ON TEST
WEB ALBUMS
SERIF
MEDIAPLUS
Price: £60
MICROSOFT
PICTURE IT! DIGITAL
IMAGE PRO 7.0
Price: £60
NOVA DEVELOPMENT
PHOTO EXPLOSION
DELUXE
Price: £40
ADOBE PHOTOSHOP
ALBUM 1.0
Price: £40
DATADOSEN
JALBUM
Price: Free
ULEAD
PHOTOSHOP
EXPLORER 8.0
Price: £16
041
LAB TEST WEB ALBUM SOFTWARE
TOP TIP Archiving – back up your albums onto CD at least once a month. It’s bad enough when your hard disc fails or your PC is stolen without losing irreplaceable images at the same time
? EXPLAINED
SERIF
MEDIAPLUS
EXIF
MICROSOFT
NOVA DEVELOPMENT
PHOTO EXPLOSION
PICTURE IT! PRO
Exchangeable Image File Format is
the standard used by most digital
cameras to embed information in
JPEG images. EXIF data usually
comprises exposure information,
date, camera name, whether the
flash fired and the focal length, but
can include anything from comments
to GPS location data.
PRICE
CONTACT
WEBSITE
£60
0800 376 7070
www.serif.com
PRICE
CONTACT
WEBSITE
MediaPlus is a dedicated media-management package
with almost no ability to alter any of the files it
organises. Its excellent browser windows display
navigation, thumbnails, a preview window and a
window dedicated to albums (collections of media
files). Files can be categorised with keywords to aid
searching, but with no ability to enhance or re-format
files, it feels very limited in scope.
The web album creation wizard is, on the face of it,
very flexible, with plenty of templates and extensive
user control over web page attributes like thumbnail
layout, colours, fonts and – uniquely – metadata search
tags. MediaPlus can’t compress or resize images, so its
website is 17MB in size. You’ll need to resize the
images in an editor before creating sites in this
package, making MediaPlus little more than a glorified
image viewer.
5
6
PRO Excellent browser
and good web options
CON No image
manipulation
49%
FINAL
SCORE
All the packages on test except JAlbum and MediaPlus
allow you some degree of creative control over your
images, with both automatic and manual control over
brightness, contrast and colour, though usually with
sliders rather than the more powerful histogram graphs.
The same programs also have functions to add artificial
fill flash and backlighting effects, and enable you to
eliminate red-eye. Picture It!, Photo Explorer and Photo
Explosion offer a range of filters to add visual effects,
with Picture It! able to use standard Photoshop plug-in
filters for extra flexibility.
In order to really get to grips with your images,
you’ll need the functionality of layers and range of
selection tools – freehand, smart edges, colour and
preset shapes – that only Photo Explosion and Picture
It! offer. They’re also the only packages that enable
you to add text, painting, graphics and frame or edge
042
£60
0870 601 0100
www.microsoft.co.uk
Microsoft’s image editor is a slick product clearly
aimed at a novice consumer audience. Picture It! Pro
comes with a good image browser with scalable
thumbnails, then proceeds to hand-hold you through
enhancements (levels, colour, resize, crop, rotate and so
on), including Photoshop plug-in filters. Selection tools
are average, with an edge finder, lasso tool and shape
cutouts, but don’t expect adjustment layers or paintable
masks. Although Picture It! has a neat batch-adjust
‘Minilab’, it doesn’t let you alter image size or
compression quality. There are thousands of templated
projects, including CD archiving, but this is the only
program on test that can’t output HTML for your
website. Instead, it goes online via its built-in browser
and uploads your images to MSN Photos online gallery.
This is great for absolute novices but won’t appeal to
users with their own webspace and site to fill.
5
6
PRO Fully-featured
image editor
CON Can't output
HTML pages
58%
FINAL
SCORE
effects to your images, plus they have clone and blemish
removal brushes.
Album features
Once you’ve built up a collection of finished images, you
can think about organising them into a themed album.
All the programs on test except JAlbum come with an
image browser that displays thumbnails of all the images
in a folder, and Photo Explorer and MediaPlus also have
neat preview windows. All the browsers except Picture It!
let you sort the thumbnails by name or date, search for
individual images and display detailed picture
information, such as the EXIF data collected by your
camera (including exposure and flash settings).
Photoshop Album drops your images onto a neat
timeline, so you can see when you were busy out
shooting. With some packages you can categorise your
PRICE
CONTACT
WEBSITE
£40
01752 202 507
www.novadevelopment.co.uk
This image editor has a huge range of features, bonus
programs, fonts, sample photos and templates. At its
heart is an image editor aimed at pure novices, split
logically into three sections. The first is an image
browser with thumbnails, image and EXIF info. There’s
a great batch-adjust option, letting you adjust quality
and format, plus run the usual enhancements. The
second is the individual photo-edit page with basic
selection and image-editing options, including a clone
brush, text and a range of filters. Lastly, the project
mode has templates for cards, calendars and other
novelties. The web album launches from the browser,
but you’re limited to 29 (poorly designed) themed
templates. There are some nice touches (you can
specify the order of images in the show, you have
some control over image quality and you can add an
email/web signature) but it all feels too restrictive.
5
6
PRO Solid image browsing
and editing skills.
CON Atrocious
template design
61%
FINAL
SCORE
images using tags (Photoshop Album) or keywords
(MediaPlus), which is great for simplifying searches. Only
JAlbum lets you include sub-directories in your album.
The image browser is where you can apply batch
adjustments to a number of images simultaneously.
Ideally, you should be able to alter a bunch of images
automatically so that they match each other and suit the
medium where you’ll publish them (web, slideshow or
print). Always apply batch effects to copies of your
images in case you need the originals in the future.
Photo Explosion and Photo Explorer have the best batch
adjustments, allowing you to rename, move and save
groups of images to a range of file formats at set quality
levels. Photo Explosion and Picture It! also let you run
enhancements on a batch of images: cropping, rotating,
eliminating red-eye and – most usefully – auto-tweaking
brightness, contrast and colour. All the programs except
ADOBE
PHOTOSHOP ALBUM 1.0
DATA DOSEN
JALBUM
ULEAD
PHOTO EXPLORER 8.0
0
EXPERT TIP
MARK HARRIS
WEB ALBUM EXPERT
KEEP IT SIMPLE!
Google is the most popular site in
the world and also one of the most
basic. Keeping design to a minimum
and content to a maximum means
your site will load faster and work
better with different browsers.
DIGITAL
CAMERA
MAGAZINE
PRICE
CONTACT
WEBSITE
£40
020 8606 4001
www.adobe.com
Aimed squarely at a consumer/enthusiast market,
Photoshop offers a range of projects to let you create
cards and calendars, web albums, archive CDs and
slideshows. The image browser has excellent filing and
search functionality, including tags that you can drag
onto your images to categorise them. It even places
your images on a timeline – a smart feature for anyone
who takes a lot of photos. While there are limited
image-enhancement options (no selection tools), the
presence of an Edit In Photoshop… option confirms
Photoshop Album’s role as primarily a publisher rather
than an editor. Creating a web album is fairly simple,
with 15 templates of varying quality. Most allow you to
select the size and quality of images, whether to
display captions, file and date, and give the option of
including an email signature. The Javascript 3D gallery
is a lot of fun.
PRICE
CONTACT
WEBSITE
Free
N/A
www.datadosen.se
JAlbum is a unique piece of software that is designed
to do just one thing – turn your digital images into a
self-contained website. Based around the Java Virtual
Machine (which accounts for the majority of its hefty
7.5MB download), JAlbum is basic but easily expanded.
There are already a good range of new skins, styles
and scripts to download from Datadosen. You simply
drag-and-drop a folder of finished images into the
Image Directory dialogue and specify an output folder.
You can perform basic image manipulation on the Edit
page, plus add captions and rename the images.
JAlbum’s strength is not in the range but in the utility of
the options it presents – you can set thumbnail and
main image size and quality, whether the site links to
the large original files, whether to include EXIF data on
a neat little pop-up and re-order the images by date
and name, or in reverse. Upload is via a modest FTP.
PRICE
CONTACT
WEBSITE
£13
01327 844 755
www.ulead.co.uk
Photo Explorer does far more than its name suggests,
cataloguing all your audio and video files as well as
organising your digital images. Based around a file
browser that includes a superb batch-edit function and
preview window, Photo Explorer combines basic
image-editing functions with a staggering range of
publishing options. As well as web albums, it can
create auto-run CD slideshows, DVD slideshows in PAL
or NTSC, has a superb range of printing layouts, a few
projects (calendars and wallpaper) and can convert
your images into MPEG video files – a great way to
showcase low-res photos on a website. Despite its
simplistic interface, there’s plenty of power – as
demonstrated by the way it uses comprehensive
dialogue boxes rather than templates to generate the
HTML pages. It also comes bundled with a speedy
ACDSee-style image browser called Instant Viewer.
* WEB LINKS
USEFUL LINKS
5
6
PRO Superb slideshow
publishing
CON No batch adjust. Lack
of professional detail
66%
FINAL
SCORE
JAlbum and MediaPlus have the facility to resize and
rotate images, while Picture It! and Photo Explorer also
let you stretch and distort them.
Web creation and upload
Now that you’ve got a bunch of good looking, labelled
pictures, you’ll want to turn them into web pages. All the
packages except Picture It! walk you through the process,
offering set templates that you can fiddle with to a
greater or lesser extent. Picture It! is unique in that it
doesn’t actually create HTML-coded pages with your
images, but instead uploads them straight to the MSN
Photos online database using a built-in web browser. This
means your pictures are visible immediately but it
doesn’t allow you to incorporate them in your own site
or have any say over how they’re displayed. Picture It!
has none of features detailed below.
5
6
PRO Free, easy to use,
powerful and expandable
CON One-trick pony
57%
FINAL
SCORE
With all the other packages you can add captions
to each image and (with the exception of MediaPlus)
select the compression quality. JAlbum, Photo Explorer
and Photoshop Album let you choose or limit the
size of each main image, and alter the size and layout
of the thumbnails. JAlbum and MediaPlus let you
order your images, while Photo Explosion and Photo
Explorer let you choose the order in which they’re
displayed. With Photoshop Album and Photo Explorer
you can tinker with the web colours and page properties,
and they also let you record an audio file to accompany
each image. JAlbum and Photo Explorer include
camera EXIF data in your albums – we like JAlbum’s
pop-up information.
All the packages except MediaPlus let you re-name
the web pages created (index.html is the default) and all
offer a preview function so that you can see the end
5
6
PRO All-round image
browser and editor
CON No FTP client
78%
FINAL
SCORE
result. MediaPlus, Photo Explosion and JAlbum have a
built-in FTP client to upload your finished album: the
others use web uploads or you’ll need a separate FTP
program. JAlbum’s upload function is clearer than the
others on test and includes a Smart Upload function that
avoids uploading the same files more than once. Most
ISPs offer at least 5MB of space for personal websites,
but if you haven’t arranged any, there are plenty of free
webspace providers on the net. Apart from Picture It!’s
MSN gallery, Photoshop Album and Photo Explorer also
offer online album hosting.
Other extras
There are plenty of other features on offer, too. All but
JAlbum can produce slideshows of your images for
viewing on your desktop or, in the case of Photoshop
Album and Photo Explorer, as a self-running CD or Video-
http://downloads.zdnet.co.uk
This UK download site is well
categorised and has a great
selection of software for all
operating systems.
www.photobox.com
The winner of our online printing
lab test can host your web album
(up to 100MB in size). Even better,
anyone visiting it can order highquality prints of your work.
http://download.com.com
If you can’t find the shareware
package you’re after here, it
probably doesn’t exist. Also features
dozens of help files to demystify all
aspects of HTML web design.
www.freewebspace.net
This site has a searchable database
of over 350 free webspace
providers, some with large 100MB
allowances and others that don’t
litter your site with annoying popup or banner ads.
043
TOP TIP Browsing your site – check how your website looks in different browsers, including older (and, if possible, Mac) versions of Internet Explorer and Netscape
? EXPLAINED
PDF FILES
This is Adobe’s own read-only format
for text and images. You’ll need the
free Acrobat reader to open the high
resolution files, which you can then
scale to fit your screen. PDF files are
generally much larger in size than
similar Word or HTML files.
SERIF
MEDIAPLUS
PICTURE IT! PRO
NOVA DEVELOPMENT
PHOTO EXPLOSION DELUXE
PERFORMANCE
PERFORMANCE
PERFORMANCE
The points MediaPlus gains for allowing user control
over font style and size, colours, borders and framing
are negated by simple errors such as not using the
album title at the top of the page (‘My Pictures’ may
be accurate, but it would be nice to be able to change
it). Although you can alter the thumbnail size,
MediaPlus generates the same image regardless,
meaning a blocky, pixellated mess at anything over
200 pixels square. Navigation is awkward, forcing you
to revisit the thumbnail page rather than allowing to
go from one large image to the next. And since
MediaPlus doesn’t compress your original images,
these can be really large. Owing to the size of the site
(over 17MB in total), we didn’t use the FTP client to
upload the site, but it seemed uncomplicated enough.
Resizing and changing the JPEG image quality of our
gallery of test photos has to be done individually – a
time consuming and boring task that should be possible
using the Minilab batch adjust. Compression efficiency is
good, with our largest 1.3MB images (the toy cars)
squeezing down to 77KB while maintaining acceptable
quality. Uploading to the MSN photos is simplicity itself,
taking less than two minutes using a broadband
connection. If you haven’t already got a MSN Passport
.Net account, you’ll need to register for that to get your
30MB online storage allowance. Customising the display
of your images online is limited to putting them in
folders, where they show as thumbnails.
Photo Explosion’s image browser is impressive – packed
with info and able to batch-adjust many images
simultaneously. Its editing functions are also respectable
given the price, with a useful smart selection tool
(including anti-aliasing and feathering), some fun filters
and manual colour, brightness, contrast and focus
controls. The package takes only seconds to generate
the website, which works correctly and ends up a
respectable 1.2MB in size. Unfortunately, the template
designs are ugly and the one attribute you can’t alter is
the size of the images – a maximum 266 pixels high just
isn’t large enough to do justice to anyone’s photography.
A good all-rounder, but probably only worth considering
if you don’t have an image editor.
KEY FEATURE 1
KEY FEATURE 1
A great browser window makes it simple to track your
media file – and even acquire files from the web.
The built-in web browser integrates well with IE6 (using
your cookies), presenting you with a single interface all
the way from working on your images to viewing
them online.
KEY FEATURE 2
KEY FEATURE 2
KEY FEATURE 2
The gallery-creation wizard is simple – click on areas of
the page to customise the look and feel of your pages.
Just like your local high street minilab, the Minilab
feature applies set enhancements to a batch of photos.
Check out the cheesy but fun animated GIF templates
that enable you to add fireworks or kaleidoscope effects.
CD that you can play on most domestic DVD players.
Photo Explosion can also produce slideshows for Palms,
PDAs, Pocket PCs and graphics for some mobile phones.
Photoshop Album goes one better with a unique 3D
gallery that displays your images in a variety of Quakestyle environments, from museums and churches to
Stonehenge. It’s bizarre but fun, and easy to set up.
Photo Explosion’s panorama software can stitch your
images into 360-degree vistas. MediaPlus and Photo
Explorer have the intriguing feature of being able to strip
a website of all its media files – an excellent way of
acquiring non-copyright online images and sound files.
JAlbum has the most promising long-term feature – it can
utilise standard Java scripts to enhance your albums. The
JAlbum website already has a range of add-on features
available to download, including adding audio comments
to your images and improvements to the naming
systems. All the packages except JAlbum, MediaPlus and
Photo Explosion can archive your images and albums to
back-up media like CD-Rs.
the software itself. All of these programs are designed for
enthusiasts rather than professionals, and none takes
more than a few minutes to install and an hour or two to
get to grips with. The web album creation process was
uniformly straightforward, as long as you work from
copies rather than original image files, there’s little that
can go wrong. The biggest ease of use differences are in
image browsing and manipulation – as your collection of
images grows, the benefits of categorising and batch
adjusting your pictures become much more noticeable.
Photo Explorer and Photo Explosion have the best
combination of cataloguing features. Photo Explosion and
Picture It! are more complex image editors than the
KEY FEATURE 1
044
MICROSOFT
Ease of use
All the packages have good online help pages and all but
JAlbum come with a paper manual. Picture It!’s manual is
especially comprehensive, including hints for getting the
best out of your camera, scanner and monitor as well as
You’re limited to using the painfully amateur album
templates for your album, complete with nasty
animations and music.
;
3
ADOBE
PHOTOSHOP ALBUM 1.0
DATADOSEN
JALBUM
ULEAD
PHOTO EXPLORER 8.0
PERFORMANCE
PERFORMANCE
PERFORMANCE
Photoshop Album makes short work of generating the
site, taking just 11 seconds to compress and resize the
images. The site comes out to 1.35MB in total, with the
800 x 600 images ranging in size from 35KB to 107KB.
Compression quality is good rather than exceptional. The
layout isn’t especially attractive as the default caption, if
you don’t add one, is the camera name. Large captions
can distort the thumbnail columns, making the layout
appear lopsided, although navigation around the site is
simple and logical. Photoshop Album is closer in feel to
the cut-down Elements than Photoshop itself, although
both editors already have excellent image browsers.
Ultimately, Photoshop Album lacks the batch
adjustments, FTP client and ability to include EXIF data
that would make it a must-have buy.
JAlbum is a joy to use, although you will need a decent
image editor to enhance and crop your images
beforehand. Generating the site takes around a
minute, giving a very efficient total file size of just
1.1MB and some beautifully compressed images. It is
the only package to allow a subdirectory of images
within the album. The template designs supplied are
all neat and functional, as is the pop-up EXIF data –
essential for camera buffs. A link to the JAlbum website
appears on each page and, while you can easily this in
the HTML source, it’s a great way to advertise this
indispensable one-trick pony.
Photo Explorer is intuitive to use and is that rare piece
of software that gets more impressive the more you
use it. Browsing, image enhancing and batch adjusting
are straightforward and unburdened with frills. It is the
slowest package on test to generate HTML, taking 80
seconds to output a 1.2MB site, complete with EXIF
data captions and custom header and footers. Images
are efficiently compressed, gaining little pixellation or
digital noise. The wealth of features compensates the
lack of an FTP client. Video file management is
welcome now that movie modes are found on nearly
all new digital cameras. This superb piece of software
comes closer than any other package on test to
managing the whole creative process.
KEY FEATURE 1
Creating a full-screen
PDF slideshow with
navigator is a matter
of just a single click.
You can even save
the slideshow as an
auto-run CD to mail to
your friends.
KEY FEATURE 1
The edit page is far more modest than most, but you
can still rotate images and even write your captions
directly into the JPEG file.
KEY FEATURE 2
Fifteen skins are supplied, each with a handful of style
options. JAlbum searches for skins in the skins directory
and displays them in a window. More are available to
download from the site.
NEXT MONTH
WE PUT ALL-IN-ONE
PRINTERS THROUGH
THEIR PACES
? EXPLAINED
FTP
File Transfer Protocol is the most
efficient way to upload files to your
websites. Internet Explorer can
perform basic FTP uploads, but you
can find dozens of dedicated FTP
clients on any of the download sites.
KEY FEATURE 1
A superb batch-adjust function converts to any of
dozens of file formats, and changes image sizes and
compression simultaneously.
KEY FEATURE 2
The file browser has an intelligent search, scalable
thumbnails and a useful data/preview window.
KEY FEATURE 2
The image browser is
designed to make
filing and searching
for your images as easy
as possible.
others on test, although neither has the power or
flexibility of a package like Paint Shop Pro.
Results and performance
The test site we used consisted of 20 images – a total of
just over 16MB. The time taken to compress and resize
images and to create the web pages varied but even the
slowest, Photo Explorer, took less than a minute and a
half. This is a huge time saving over creating the web
pages with design software, especially if you want
several different themed albums or will be adding to the
albums on a regular basis. The programs all performed
well in compressing the images down to acceptable sizes
– the largest was Photo Explorer at a total of 1.7MB. This
was also the most easily customisable package, although
the option to limit the file size of images didn’t work
especially well. The total includes the thumbnails, the
HTML web pages and any other graphics or code that the
package added in (navigation arrows, for example).
Photo Explosion’s 1.2MB is less impressive than it
sounds as the images are constrained to a much smaller
size – the extra space is taken up with unnecessary design
frills. JAlbum creates a slim 1.1MB site with a clean
design. Picture It! doesn’t create any HTML pages, as its
gallery is entirely web-based at MSN Photos. MediaPlus
can’t compress or resize images, so its website is a
massive 17MB in size – you’ll need to resize the images
in an editor before creating sites in this package.
Looking at the quality of the compressed and resized
images, Photo Explosion compressed the main images to
the largest extent, giving notably poorer quality images
than the others. Picture It! and Photoshop Album created
good images but JAlbum and Photo Explorer were best
on test – compressing very efficiently to produce smooth,
noise-free photos.
Some templates are certainly better designed than
others. At the bottom of the taste tree is Photo Explosion
Deluxe. Nearly all its 29 styles are painfully poor – either
American themes like Thanksgiving (complete with
0
EXPERT TIP
MARK HARRIS
WEB ALBUM EXPERT
ADDING EXTRAS
Liven up your website with hit
counters, polls and message boards,
available for free from sites across
the net. To find them, just follow
links from sites you like.
045
WEB ALBUM SOFTWARE TIP If you’re worried about the security of your images, then you’ll have to use web-based photo services like MSN Photos or Apple’s .Mac, both offer password protection of your pics
1
SPECIFICATIONS
AT-A-GLANCE
SERIF
MEDIAPLUS
MICROSOFT
PICTURE IT! PRO
NOVA DEVELOPMENT
ADOBE
PHOTO EXPLOSION DELUXE PHOTOSHOP ALBUM 1.0
Price
£60
£60
£40
£40
Tel
0800 376 7070
0870 601 0100
01752 202 507
020 8606 4001
URL
www.serif.com
www.microsoft.co.uk
www.novadevelopment.co.uk
www.adobe.com
Operating system?
PC
PC
PC
PC
Image enhance?
None
None
Photo adjustments, plus clone,
sharpen and backlight
Freehand, colour and edge sensing,
pre-set shapes
Photo adjustments, plus fill-flash,
backlight and sharpen
Selection tools?
Photo adjustments, plus heal, fill-flash
and backlight
Freehand, colour and edge sensing,
pre-set shapes
Searchable image browser?
Searchable, shows EXIF data and preview
Basic browser only
Searchable, shows EXIF data
Searchable, shows EXIF data and timeline
Image categories?
Yes
No
No
Yes
Batch adjust?
None
Name, enhance and file format
Name and enhance
None
Manipulate image
Rotate and flip
Rotate, resize, stretch and distort
Rotate, resize and flip
Rotate and resize
Web album templates
5
None
29
15
Customise HTML plates?
All aspects
No
No
Add frame and change colour
Online album?
No
Yes
No
Yes
Set image order?
No
No
Yes
No
Set gallery image qualities
Thumbnail size only
Main image size and quality
Thumbnail size, basic main image quality
Thumbnail size, main image size and quality
Display EXIF data?
No
No
No
No
Upload
FTP
Web
FTP
Web
Archiving/Slideshow?
No/Yes
Yes/No
No/Yes, and VCD disc
Yes/Yes, and VCD disc
Features %
50%
50%
61%
61%
Performance %
40%
63%
58%
71%
Ease of use %
65%
70%
70%
75%
Overall %
49%
58%
61%
66%
animated turkeys) or saccharine pet and birthday
galleries. Photoshop Album and MediaPlus have
templates in similarly questionable taste but at least both
also have simple templates to choose from. Navigation is
easy and the layout neat, but larger captions disrupted
the columns slightly. The styles and templates from
JAlbum are pretty good, but the lack of a preview means
choosing one is a bit hit and miss. They share a crisp,
efficient layout, and the multitude of layout options
mean you can fit as many or as few thumbnails as you
like on a page. Photo Explorer has no templates, but
almost every aspect of layout and colouring is alterable –
a refreshingly simple method.
Conclusion
None of these packages are a substitute for decent webdesign software. If you want to make the most of what
HTML has to offer, a package such as FrontPage is well
worth the investment in time and money. But all of
them can help you organise and publish your photos,
046
and the package you choose will depend very much on
what other software you already own. Picture It! and
Photo Explosion are user friendly and more powerful
than they first appear. Their batch-adjust features are
good and Photo Explosion’s comprehensive image
browser recommends it to anyone in the market for midlevel image editor. While Picture It! is more of a
traditional editor, the lack of HTML code generation rules
it out for anyone who wants to integrate a gallery into
their own site rather than use MSN’s (admittedly
convenient) online album.
The differences between the image-cataloguing
programs – MediaPlus, Photoshop Album and Photo
Explorer – show just how young this market is. All three
have superb file browsers, the preview windows in
MediaPlus and Photo Explorer proving more useful than
Photoshop Album’s gimmicky timeline. MediaPlus
stumbles when it comes to image manipulation – it
doesn’t even let you compress or change file formats,
rendering it little more than a glorified image viewer.
None
Photoshop Album is more competent, offering useful
image tweaks and solid publishing options, from 3D
galleries to VCD slideshows. Photo Explorer, though,
pushes all the right buttons, with a well thought out
range of useful features, including a supremely flexible
web gallery feature that allows EXIF data display, audio
comments and highly customisable layouts. Moreover, it
also forms the heart of a true multimedia library, able to
capture stills from video files, convert your images to an
MPEG movie and strip websites of their media files.
The odd man out in this test is JAlbum. With no
browser or manipulation features, it concentrates on a
single function, allowing you to create HTML galleries
from your edited images. It’s breathtakingly simple,
efficient and free of overblown interfaces and, most
importantly, produces neat, attractive pages. Given its
non-existent price tag, JAlbum is perfectly suited for
anyone who already owns image-editing and webdesign software but wants to reduce the time and effort
of building a page by hand.
HOW WE TESTED
THE WEB ALBUM SOFTWARE
DATADOSEN
JALBUM
DIGITAL
CAMERA
MAGAZINE
ULEAD
PHOTO EXPLORER 8.0
Free
£16
N/A
01327 844 755
www.datadosen.se
www.ulead.co.uk
PC, Mac, Linux, Sun & OS/2
PC
None
Basic photo adjustments plus sharpen
None
None
None
Searchable, shows EXIF data and preview
No
Yes
None
Name and file format
Rotate, resize, flip and mirror
Rotate, resize and distort
15
No
No
All aspects
No
Yes
No
Yes
Thumbnail size, main image size and quality
Thumbnail size, main image size and basic quality
Yes
Yes
FTP
Web
No/No
Yes/Yes, plus VCD and DVD disc
37%
82%
77%
75%
80%
75%
57%
78%
VERDICT
esigning an image-based website isn’t
difficult, but it is time-consuming. Images
have to be organised, re-sized and
compressed, then integrated into HTML pages that
themselves need a certain amount of design thought
and work. None of the packages on test have the range
of functionality required to give you complete creative
control – at the least you’ll want a web editor to tweak
the final pages and add other content to your website.
Having said that, several packages stand out as
offering excellent time-saving and organisational
abilities. If you’re new to digital imaging, Nova’s Photo
Explosion Deluxe is a handy image editor, has a great
image browser and some fun publishing features (such
as panorama stitching and DVD slideshow software) but
D
its album templates are limited and somewhat ugly. So,
the more experienced user has two real options.
Datadosen’s elegant and simple JAlbum freeware
focuses solely on the creation of web pages from your
images, and it does that almost faultlessly. Its ability to
grow with scripts and user-defined styles and skins
should give it a long shelf-life.
But the most impressive package overall is Ulead’s
Photo Explorer 8.0. It has an excellent multimedia file
browser offering a range of batch-adjust and cataloguing
options, plus customisable web gallery pages, including
EXIF data, audio comments and page layouts. Photo
Explorer will complement your image editor, making it
easier to enjoy and share your images and movie clips
instead of leaving them languishing on your hard drive.
esting album software isn’t
straightforward. Although all the
packages on test share the ability
to transform your digital images into an
organised album that can form part of a
website, they do it in very different ways.
Why you prefer one package to another is
likely to depend far more on the features list
and your opinion of the tools and interface
than differences in performance.
For this reason, we rated each of the
packages on how they coped with certain
common tasks.
We chose to assess the packages resizing
and renaming capabilities, file compression
efficiency and uploading. Our sample
gallery consisted of 20 shots (four in a subdirectory) ranging from 400K to 2MB in size,
taken on a variety of cameras and in
different orientations.
We tried to make the web albums as
similar as possible – limiting thumbnail
T
pictures to 120 x 120 pixels and main
images as close to 800 x 600 pixels. Where
possible, we selected 70 per cent JPEG
quality for the main images. We also added
a few captions, tried to include EXIF data and
rename the final webpages. We timed how
long the packages took to generate the
website (including compressing and resizing
images) and measured the file size of the
final website created.
We then rated all the features on offer
from each of our packages, weighting the
ones that are more useful to photographers
(so basic image-editing functions got
more points than painting tools). Lastly,
we rated the packages for ease of use,
awarding points for logical, intuitive
functionality, good manuals and useful help
and error messages.
The final percentage score that you see
for each package took all the above
elements into account.
WEB DESIGN
P
ublishing your images to a web
gallery template is all very well,
but the creative process doesn’t
stop with Photoshop. If you want to create a
website that does full justice to your work,
you should consider investing time and
money in dedicated web-design software.
Microsoft Front Page (£120) offers a
powerful yet user-friendly introduction to site
design and layout, enabling you to work in a
familiar WYSIWYG window or tackle the raw
HTML code as you become more confident.
Macromedia Dreamweaver MX (£340) is
more expensive but comes with an
unparalleled array of visual tools, enabling
you to create professional-looking websites.
Step beyond HTML and you can create
multimedia content that combines your
photos with audio or video animation –
Macromedia Flash MX (£420) will test your
talent and technical knowledge in equal
measure. But you don’t need to spend this
kind of money at first. Begin by looking at
the simple HTML code that makes up any
web page – just open them in Word or
Notepad, and basic web editors can be had
for free from any of the download sites.
HTML is easy to learn and there are plenty
of online guides – you should be able to
alter basic features in a matter of hours.
047
Trailblazers
Travel the world, see interesting things and shoot them
WINNER!
THE GREAT WALL, CHINA YVONNE SCHNELL
“This picture was taken with a Canon PowerShot Pro90 IS”
02
02 Photographed by:
Phil Hodkinson
Location: Kerala, Southern India
Camera used: Canon
PowerShot S30
03 Photographed by:
Dave Perkins
Location: Mont St. Michel, France
Camera used: Sony Cyber-shot
DSC-F707
Trailblazers
048 DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE
03
05
04
07
204 Photographed by:
Charles Phillips
Location: Las Vegas, USA
Camera used: FujiFilm
FinePix 6900
Richard Cheesmar
Location: Vietnam
Camera used: Sony Cyber-shot
DSC-F505V
06
GET YOUR PICTURE FRAMED!
Send them in and the best gets framed and returned. We’re looking for
landmarks, unusual events or just something fabulously composed. Start
planning that trip away! ■ Email us at [email protected]
Troy Bertrand
Location: Houston, Texas
Camera used:
Minolta DiMAGE F100
This month, you have mostly been to…
3
Paul Stevens
Location: Dambulla, Sri Lanka
Camera used:
Minolta DiMAGE EX
4
6
1
2
7
5
Trailblazers
049
YOUR PHOTOS
DAY IN THE LIFE
EMAIL US! Send in your life – see opposite!
MEET MARC CASS
01
A professional stuntman for the past
14 years, Marc has starred in
numerous high-profile movies
including Die Another Day, Saving
Private Ryan and Titanic as well as
regular TV appearances in 999, Cracker
and The Bill. He has also worked as a
stunt coordinator on Captain Corelli’s
Mandolin, Harry Potter 1 and 2. Marc
has an extensive range of skills
including stunt car and bike driving,
wire work, fencing, bungee jumping,
parachuting, underwater work, stunt
fights and falls. He can currently be
seen performing stunt driving duties
in Terminator 3: Rise Of The Machines.
The stuntman
From celebrity stand-in to human fireball, it’s all in a day’s work for Marc Cass, as these pictures prove
ork on big budget TV or movie shoots
typically involves an early start for
Marc, who’s usually up, dressed and on
location by 7am. Once he arrives and has
breakfast, he’s off to have his hair and make-up
done, have his costume fitted, and rehearse his
scenes (especially important if wire and harness
work is involved).
Marc can spend much of his 14-hour day
sitting around waiting to be called into action by
the director. If he’s working as a stunt double – as
he did on The Avengers and Dollar For The Dead
– he also has to learn to run, jump, walk, fight,
ride horses in exactly the same way as the actor
does, only stepping in at the moment when the
action becomes too frenetic for the thesp to do
W
050
the job. Naturally, this isn’t without its difficulties:
the lighting, sun and shadows need to be in
exactly the right position for him to replicate the
actor’s actions, and there’s always the danger
that something can go wrong. "I’m more
concerned about getting the stunt right than in
how dangerous it can be," he says. "You don’t
want to end up potentially ruining a £250,000 set
or snookering the actor. There are a lot of people
– the crew, actors and director – who need you to
get it right."
It’s surprising, then, that Marc has had
relatively few accidents – his worst being on the
set of Cracker, where a bad fall compressed
several of his vertebrae. "If you’re a secretary and
you make a mistake, it’s not that big a problem.
If a stuntman makes a mistake he can be out of
work for six months."
Marc reckons that age also takes its toll on the
professional stuntman. "The ground gets harder
as you get older; the bruises last longer.” To
compensate, Marc spends most of his days off
keeping fit, typically going to the gym five days a
week when he’s not working. He also works
increasingly as a stunt coordinator where he
develops and shoots action scenes that other
stuntmen perform. "When I started it was all
about the money, but now I want to feel
challenged, enthusiastic and passionate about the
work I do," he says. Marc’s biggest challenge,
though, has still to come: his ambition is to
become an action movie director…
02
4
CONTACT
US
Now it’s over to you: we want your life in our hands (or on these pages anyway). If
you have a visually interesting job that you think might make a good Dayinthelife,
please email us today at: [e] [email protected]
T BE INSPIRED! www.marccass.com
03
Dayinthelife a
i h lif
01 It’s dangerous work…
Marc is flung sideways through a
window using an air-ram, during the
closing bridge battle sequence in
Saving Private Ryan.
02 Careful with that chip pan
As in-house stuntman for BBC TV
series, 999, Marc was called to
perform dangerous jobs on a daily
basis. Here he dons a fireproof suit
and silicon gel mask to demonstrate
the dangers of chip pan fires.
04
06
07
03 Falling fast
Marc takes a fall from a balcony as
Emilio Estevez’ double during the
filming of 1998 Hollywood western,
Dollar For The Dead.
04 Walking the walls
Marc doubles for Emilio Estevez
during this shoot-out scene in Dollar
For The Dead – air-rams fire the
stuntman into the air, enabling him to
apparently run down the walls of the
cellar, guns blazing.
04
05 Stunt double to the stars
Marc has a chat with Emilio Estevez.
Marc also doubled for Eddie Izzard in
the film version of The Avengers.
06 Out of the fire…
Marc is flung into the air as an
explosion goes off behind him during
a specially commissioned photo shoot
for the Daily Star.
05
08
07 …and falling to earth
Same shoot, different angle. Marc
uses specially designed ‘stunt’
boxes to break his fall. Performing
stunts like this need a lot of
experience and equipment – Marc
has plenty of both.
08 The human torch
Tough day at the office? Then just
imagine being chained to a crateful
of Molotov cocktails and then being
on fire for a living. But Marc’s more
worried about getting the stunt
wrong, than being injured.
051
Viewfinder
We want your letters! Email us at [email protected] and we’ll print the best
Interact
>
Digital Camera’s website forums offer a wide
range of topics, advice and tips for newcomers
and experienced snappers alike. This month,
your attention turned to the relative merits of
Photoshop Elements vs Paint Shop Pro...
dPeter Wass asked: “I wondered if people
could give me their opinion about the
advantages of Photoshop Elements compared
to Paint Shop Pro 7 (PSP7). I presently have
PSP7, but It seems that most people on this
list are fans of Elements, or for those with
more money, Photoshop. I think I understand
the advantage of Photoshop due to the
overall power of the program. However, I was
wondering if there is any good reasons for me
to purchase Elements?”
dLeslie Nicholson replied: “Not really Peter,
I think it’s like buying a car – some models
appeal; some don’t. The grass is greener
springs to mind – if what you have is doing
the job for you, why change? I have Elements
and, for photographic manipulation, it’s
excellent. I have tried PS7, but I can’t justify
the cost. I’ve even tried doing tutorials made
for 7, with Elements and you can get round
most things reasonably well.”
dDave Tyrer added: “The cloning brush in
Photoshop Elements is great – a real plus.
But PSP7 is great for image mapping when
doing web stuff – it depends what you
want to use it for. Both are good for post
processing pictures
dJim Madden liked neither: “I use Adobe
at work but hate the ground it works on. Corel
has all the tools of Photoshop, but has the
extra advantage of having a full set of tools –
Corel is easier to use, faster more stable…
9 Now it’s your turn!
To join this discussion and others like it, go to
our website forums at
www.dcmag.co.uk/forum
Star Letter PhotoImpact 8 winner
Memory matters
Ricoh’s missing features
Far be it from me to accuse your journalists of
rushing their reviews, but the spread on the Ricoh
Caplio RR-30 (March) forgot to mention one of the
camera’s most prominent features.
Having used the RR-30, I can tell you that its
biggest selling point is its claimed shutter response
time of 0.25 seconds which, to my knowledge, is
the fastest on the market at any price. This is
worth mentioning because slow response is a real
bane of digital cameras. The Ricoh also shows an
unusual amount of control over exposure for such
an inexpensive camera, multiple shot capability
and automatic time-lapse.
The information you printed suggested the
reviewer had spent about 30 minutes with the
camera. The overall judgement wasn’t necessarily
unfair, but it would have been a stronger piece
with a bit more detail and a sense that the
camera had been examined to more obviously
expose its strengths and limitations.
John Dunn
DCM We aim to ensure that every camera we
test is given as comprehensive an evaluation
as possible, and this was certainly the case
with Ricoh Caplio RR-30. As far as we’re
concerned the 0.25-second shutter response
time isn’t as big a deal as it first appears, since
it still takes the camera time to focus before
your shot is captured. The only way you can
achieve 0.25 sec is when you focus into the
distance. The other features you mention
aren’t likely to appeal to the vast majority of
amateur photographers either.
Where’s my DVD?
I order your magazine through
a newsagent, and when I
read your comment
in the February
edition
about
I’ve been reading your magazine for the
past three issues. Based on your excellent
camera tests, I decided to splash out on my
first digital camera, the Konica KD-400Z, which
you gave 90%. I’m pleased to say that I’m
delighted with it!
In three weeks I’m off to New York and
Toronto for an eight-day holiday and need
some memory cards to store as many pictures
as possible. My camera can use Memory Sticks, Secure Digital (SD) and MultiMediaCards (MMC).
I’ve noticed that MMC cards seem to be the cheapest of the three options. Does this mean they are
inferior in any way?
I’m thinking of buying three 64MB cards which should be enough for 120 maximum quality pics.
I’d really appreciate any advice you can give me.
Neil Genge
DCM MultiMediaCards are cheaper than their SD and Memory Stick rivals, partly due to
economies of scale – mass-production helps manufacturers buy in or make parts cheaper
and there’s more competition from rival companies all targeting the same consumers, but
also because MMC is an established technology with less wastage due to product failure
during manufacture. SD and Memory Stick, by
contrast, are still relatively new which makes
them more expensive. We suggest in any case
you only buy cards recommended by the camera
manufacturer. Third-party cards may look
cheaper on paper but, in practice, reliability
problems and iffy build could mean you either
lose your precious shots or, worse still, cause
some damage your camera. In either case, the
camera maker is unlikely to be sympathetic
should you try to claim against your warranty.
This month’s Star Letter wins a copy of Ulead’s
PhotoImpact 8.
an optional DVD version, I asked my newsagent to
obtain that one. We’re in February now and the
copy that has turned up is the CD version. I’ve
complained to my newsagent, who says he
ordered the DVD version but the CD
one is only available. He
has sent the CD
version back to his
suppliers in another
attempt to obtain the DVD
magazine, but I don’t hold
out much hope. Why do you
advertise the option of the DVD mag when you
can’t deliver?
Brian Walker
DCM Unfortunately, unforeseen technical
problems stop the issue 4 cover DVD in its
tracks at the last moment and we were left
either getting out the CD-ROM version as
normal one putting the magazine on sale late,
which really wouldn’t have done at all. To
make amends, there’s definitely a DVD version
available of this issue now for the foreseeable
053
Inspired!
Have our tutorials and ideas sparked something? Send in your
examples and we’ll print the best every month, to
[email protected]
Fast photo
Tell us what you want!
Every issue, it’s our aim to improve the magazine.
Write in to [email protected]
He wanted…
He wanted…
She wanted…
Steve Fothergill was
unable to try out
issue 5’s ‘Eggman’
tutorial because we
forgot to put the images on
the disc!
Neil Spruce wanted
to know if we plan
to sell binders so he
can keep his copies of
the mag in good condition.
Lyn Green wanted to
buy a back issue of
DCM via our website,
but we’ve yet to offer
such a facility
He got…
She got…
We don’t have any plans to
introduce binders at present,
but watch this space…
A promise to do better in the
future, although you can buy
the current issue or subscribe.
He got…
We’ve posted the pics on our
website at www.dcmag.co.uk
WRITE
IN
TODAY!
Every issue, we aim to improve some aspect of the magazine. Email
your suggestions to [email protected] and the Editor, in his
great wisdom, will decide what you deserve…
future. We look forward to hearing about what
you think of the disc and its contents, and if
you have any burning suggestions for content
you’d like us to include.
Up-close cameras
I’m thinking of buying a digital camera, preferably
under £350, and I’m looking for something
especially good at close-up photography – insects,
tropical fish, plants, flowers and so on. I’ve
been reading your reviews and not much
is said on this aspect – the focus tends
to be on the overall image quality
and colour balance. What would
you recommend?
David McKane
DCM You’ll be pleased to
hear that you can find two
articles on the subject of
macro photography in this issue.
You can find out how to shoot close up
of plants and animals in our spring
photo feature on page 16, and there is a
macro photography tutorial on page 82.
Although most digital cameras come with
054
At the time of this shot
of bike racer, Valentino
Rossi, I was working in
the Formula One
business and managed
to get a paddock pass
for the 2-wheeled
race weekend at the
Brno Moto GP in the
Czech Republic. I
found a bit of track
just inside the first
corner where I could
shoot with an unobstructed view.
Many of my shots were of Valentino (above). The style, colour of his leathers and bike all
add to the attraction. The shot was captured using a Canon D60 in sport mode with a
35-350mm lens. The only thing I did to the image post-shoot was crop the left-hand side
using Microsoft Photo Editor.
Bonnie Lane
Fantastic picture, Bonnie. Does anyone else have any cracking action shots they’d
like to send in?
FinePix portrait
I took this photo of my daughter, Maisie,
after reading your article on taking better
portraits (issue 4). The shot was taken using
a FujiFilm FinePix S602 Zoom in natural light
with the camera in portrait mode and using
manual focus.
Marianne Archer
macro modes these days, they typically have a
macro range of 10-20cm, which isn’t really
close to enough to meets your needs. Instead
we suggest you try the Olympus C-5050,
reviewed on page 30, which has a
super-macro mode of just
1cm, or opt for a digital
SLR with macro lens.
Thanks Marianne. This shot just goes to
show that you don’t need an expensive
studio or extensive lighting to create
beautiful portraits.
Olympus’s C-5050
packs in 5 megapixels
and boasts a 1cm macro
range to boot
Manchester moors
I took this shot during a winter
walk on the moors between
Huddersfield and Manchester,
using a Sony Cyber-shot DSC-P71.
Who said it was grim up north?
Karl Dines
Not us that’s for sure. To prove
it you can find lots more exotic
northern sights in this month’s
GetUp&Go section, including
spooky tour of Whitby Abbey.
SECTION #02
YOUR IMAGES
CREATIVE PROJECT
PHOTO SURREALISM
SEE PAGE 58
CREATIVE PROJECT
PHOTO SURREALISM
This ethereal face you see opposite was inspired by
Canadian architecture. Derek Lea tells the story
PAGE
PHOTO CLINIC
REJUVENATE AN OLD PHOTO
The story of a precious baby photo, worse for wear
but now restored after years inside a wallet
PAGE
PHOTOSHOP ELEMENTS
HOW TO SOLVE FLASH ERRORS AND USE FILTERS
The most common flash niggles, indoors and out,
plus using filters to dramatic effect in Elements
PAGE
PAINT SHOP PRO TUTORIAL
CREATE SIMPLE 3D EFFECTS
Change the perspective of your photos using clever
drop shadow, blurring and lighting effects
PAGE
58
64
68
72
PHOTO CLINIC
SEE PAGE 64
PAGE
PAGE
68
72
Your images
Making and creating better pictures
Tutorials you can trust!
f
Our aim is to bring you creative ideas, expert tips and
quick fixes you can use in your own work.
Authoritative A leading professional in his/her field
writes every tutorial. Value-added We try to include
Contact our editorial team
image files, and full or trial software so you can try the
tutorial for yourself, delivering a complete package.
Clear Our large page size means we can add extra
elements, explanations and detail to each tutorial.
#
If you have a comment, suggestion, idea or
submission you would like to make, please
email us at [email protected] You
can also visit our website at www.dcmag.co.uk
PROJECT PHOTO SURREALISM
YOUR GUIDE DEREK LEA
Derek's work blends photography, illustration and digital art. He has won a number of
awards and is a contributing author of New Masters of Photoshop
[email protected]
PORTFOLIO DEREK LEA WEBSITE WWW.DEREKLEA.COM
Building an
architectural face
Follow digital artist Derek Lea as he combines a simple portrait with images of
architectural details to create this surreal and compelling creature
T
PROJECT
KEY DETAILS
2
ON OUR DISC
■ IMAGE FILES
All the elements you need to
recreate this architectural face in
Photoshop are on the coverdisc
2
SKILL LEVEL
7
2
1
TIME TO COMPLETE
4
HOURS
he idea for this creative project came from
Matthew Harvey, art editor of Computer Arts
magazine. Harv contacted me about an idea
he had for a cover image of a special Photoshop
supplement and wanted me to work on it. We agreed
he would supply the photo of a model and I would add
some patterns to her eyes and figure out a way to
make her look surreal and otherworldly.
I usually send art editors a detailed sketch of what I
plan to do and follow it closely while working on the
image but we agreed that some flexibility was
necessary here. We tossed around some ideas involving
ornate wooden furniture and intricate metal work but
after looking around, I decided that the architectural
details on some buildings in my home city of Toronto’s
financial district were perfect.
A
FIND A MODEL
The face shot was done at close range with a
single light source. The light was positioned
centrally to make the shadows believable when we flip
half of the face over to replace the other half. This will
give the face a more alien feel.
058
Rainy days
I set out on foot into Toronto on a freezing cold, rainy
day. Despite the discomfort of shooting in the cold, the
overcast conditions proved useful in keeping the contrast
of my images to a minimum without any highlights or
heavy shadows. I used a lens with excellent range
(Nikkor 24-120) because some detail was close up
and some far away.
I actually ended up using a different model for the
face in this project, (she was photographed with my
Fujifilm Finepix S2 Pro) and the architectural detail is
different to the Computer Arts piece, although I did leave
a few of the original aspects in. The result was this
strange and compelling creature you see opposite.
The following tutorial was done in Photoshop 7 in
CMYK mode since the destination was print.
B
SHOOT THE ARCHITECTURE
Almost all of the architectural detail that I
wanted to shoot were up high. Wherever
possible I tried to stand on things like newspaper boxes,
steps, or in some cases even parked cars so that the
perspective of the resulting shot would be more dead on.
3 TOOL SCHOOL
LAYERS PALETTE
Here in the Layers palette submenu, is where you will find
functions like merge layer set
and duplicate layer set.
C
DIFFERENT ANGLES
Here’s an example of how some pieces of
architectural detail were shot at different
angles with their end uses in mind. This piece was likely
to curve around the side of her cheek that is why it was
photographed on this slight angle.
Everything you need to
create this image is on your CD
All
All the images
images, filters
filters and plug-ins you
you need to
to
cre
create this image are
are on your
your co
cover CD.
CD. All
All
images
images are
are © to
to Derek
Derek Le
Lea.
2
CDA/tutorials/
FACE
DETAIL
DETAIL
DETAIL
DETAIL
face
ace.tif
detail1.psd
detail1.psd
detail2.psd
detail2.psd
detail3.psd
detail3.psd
detail4.psd
detail4.psd
TOP TIP Adding a stack of individually masked layers to a set gives you the opportunity to add a layer set mask, affecting all of the individual layers together, yet leaving their individual masks intact
STAGE 1
2
INITIAL FACE
ADJUSTMENTS
There are some preparations and
manipulation we’ll need to do to
the face to make it look smooth
and alien before we start adding
any architectural details.
0
EXPERT TIP
DEREK LEA
PHOTOSHOP EXPERT
LAYER BLENDING
MODES
The various blending modes of
the layers can help greatly in
terms of time and flexibility in
your files. Here, we have used
the Darken Blending mode.
This affords us the luxury of
painting a little sloppier, which
is much quicker. When darken
is selected, only areas that are
lighter on underlying layers will
be affected. So when we paint
over the edge of her jaw with
a dark flesh it won’t go onto
our very dark background.
Further down the pipe you’ll
also see the uses of lighten
and colour blending modes.
01
DUPLICATE THE BACKGROUND
First, make a duplicate of the background
layer. Choose duplicate layer from the Layers
palette sub menu or drag the background layer onto the
Create New Layer icon. Select your duplicate layer and
choose Edit8Transform8Flip Horizontal from the menu.
04
CLONE OUT THE BLEMISHES
Create a new layer and select the clone stamp
tool (s). Make sure that Use All Layers is
enabled. Hold down the option key and click to sample a
smooth area then click on the blemishes to cover them
using the smoother skin from your sampled area.
02
ADD A LAYER MASK
Use the rectangular marquee tool (m) to select
the left side of the layer. Next, from the layer
menu choose Layer8Add Layer Mask8Hide selection.
We’re going to duplicate one half of the face. Don’t worry
about the hard line dividing the images on the layers.
05
MAKE HER SMOOTH
Concentrate on her forehead, cheeks, and
above her lips. Try varying the size and opacity
of the clone stamp tool to achieve a softer, less drastic
effect in some areas. You can access the size and opacity
controls for this tool in the brushes presets palette.
IN FOCUS
08
? EXPLAINED
060
SOFTEN THE MASK EFFECT
To soften the hard line left by the marquee
tool, select the brush tool (b) and choose a
large soft brush. Open the Brush palette (click the toggle
button). Disable any dynamics or pressure sensitivity
options and paint using 100% black on the layer mask.
06
PAINT HER SKIN
To lessen the intensity of her pores create a
new layer and select the paintbrush. Using
light opacity settings (25-50%), sample colours from the
image using the eyedropper tool (option), and slowly
paint over her pores until they start to appear smooth.
Using layers to blur the image
ADDING SOME BLUR
Use the blur tool (r) on a new layer with the Use all layers function enabled in the tool options bar. Again,
select a nice large brush and set varying strength settings. Go ahead and paint over any areas that you think
need to be softened further. Concentrate on the jaw, ears, and the sides of her head as well as any visible hairline.
STACKING
I invented this term to describe
building up a group of layers for a
specific part or element of the
image. When you pile duplicate
layers on top of each other with
various blending modes, adding
adjustment and colour layers within
selections generated from
underlying layers, the result is
called a stack. It’s a good idea to
link your stacked layers or place
them into a set to move or
transform them as a group.
03
07
SOFTEN HER JAW
Create a new layer and set the blend mode to
darken so the background is unaffected. With
the brush tool, sample some darker areas from the jaw
using the eyedropper (option). With a soft brush and low
opacity gently paint over the edges of the jaw line.
USE ALL LAYERS
This is a very handy function for what we are
doing here. This function is essential when you
need to blur the contents of the image while
preserving the flexibility that layers offer us.
With this enabled the blur tool creates softened
pixels on our empty layer by sampling the pixels
from layers below.
4
…PAINT SHOP PRO
CREATING LAYER
MASKS IN…
STAGE 2
2
ADJUSTMENT LAYERS
By using adjustment layers we
can change colour without
causing any deterioration to the
image. Also we can go back and
edit our adjustment layers at
any point later on, should we
change our minds.
0
…PHOTOSHOP ELEMENTS
Found in the Masks palette. To learn more go to
http://tiemdesign.com/HOWTO/2001/June/PSP7SMask/
IN FOCUS
09
…PHOTOIMPACT
Doesn’t have layer masks built in, so you’ll need to be creative.
Go to www.arraich.com/elements/pse_mmultilayermasks1.htm
Accessible from the Mask Mode button in the status bar. More
info at http://solo.abac.com/streamrdr/tutorials/masks.html
Using the Levels function
ADJUSTING LEVELS
Create a levels adjustment
layer (choose one from the
bottom of the Layers palette). Darken
the shadow and brighten the highlights.
Duplicate the adjustment layer like we
did earlier and reduce its opacity to 20%
then set the mode to soft light to
enhance the contrast further.
SLIDERS There are three
sliders in this window,
operating the levels, the
midtones and the
highlights. Drag them
right and left to darken
or brighten different
parts of the image.
CHANNELS We did an overall
adjustment to the image
with all channels selected
here. You can, however,
adjust the levels of individual
colour channels here too.
EXPERT TIP
10
WHITER EYES
11
THE IRIS HUES
14
ADJUST THE LIPS
Draw two closed paths around the eyes. In the
paths palette, click on the load path as a
selection button. Create a Selective colour adjustment
layer in the Layers palette. Select whites from the menu
and use the sliders to brighten the white bits of the eyes.
DEREK LEA
PHOTOSHOP EXPERT
MAKEUP AND MODELS
It is important to think differently
when shooting digital photos for
the purpose of Photoshop work.
You will notice that we simulate
the look of dark lipstick digitally
as opposed to putting it on our
model. The reason being, if we
decided to not use the lipstick it
would be much harder to remove
it. It is easier to add darker areas
of colour than take them away.
When shooting models for this
purpose you should use a
minimum of makeup to
keep your options open.
Draw closed paths over the irises. Generate a
selection from the paths and create a new
Hue/Saturation adjustment layer in the Layers palette.
Increase the saturation to about +46, and adjust the hue
to about -33 – this will change her eyes to a bright green.
? EXPLAINED
CLOSED PATH
A closed path is simply an enclosed
shape drawn using the path tool.
You simply need to work your way
back to the original point of your
shape when drawing it to close it
up. It is important to make sure
your paths are closed when you’re
creating them for the purpose of
generating selections from them.
BLENDING MODE
This defines how a layer will react
with underlying layers, ie. how it
will blend in with the rest of the
image underneath. By default, all
new layers have a blending mode
of normal. But feel free to
experiment – blending modes are
powerful things, and when you
start combining various layers with
different blending modes the
results can be quite interesting.
12
BRIGHTEN THE IRISES
In the paths palette, load the iris paths as
a selection again. Create a new levels
adjustment layer and increas the highlights/darken the
shadows in all channels. Select the black channel and
make a similar adjustment to that channel only.
13
MASK THE LIPS
Enter quickmask mode (q). Select the brush
tool and a soft edged brush. Adjust the size of
the brush to something you feel comfortable using. Paint
with an opacity setting of 100% and a foreground colour
of black until you have painted over her lips entirely.
Invert the selection (command-shift-I) so the
lips are the active selection. Create a new
levels adjustment layer in the Layers palette. Brighten the
highlights, darken the shadows considerably and darken
the magenta midtones to increase the pink colour.
061
TOP TIP Toggle your brush sizes up and down quickly using the [ ] keys. The [ key decrease the brush size and the ] key increases it
STAGE 3
2
IN FOCUS
ADDING DETAILS
With our face image prepared, it
is now time to bring in some of
the architectural elements from
the other files.
3 IN DETAIL
LAYERS PALETTE
15
Using the Free-Transform
ADD SOME DETAIL
In the file: details1.psd,
draw a rough selection
around the detail with the
polygonal lasso tool. Hold down
command and drag it as a new
layer. Move it to the right cheek
area and use Edit8Free Transform
(command-t) from the menu to
rotate, resize, distort and scale it.
SKEW Grab a central
point and hold command
to skew. Hold down the
shift key to constrain
movement to the x or y
axis. Hold down the
option key to skew out
from the central point.
DISTORT/PERSPECTIVE
Hold down command
and move a corner
point to freely distort
the box. Hold down
command-optionshift and move a corner
point to distort the
perspective of the box.
Direct your attention to the bottom
of the Layers palette. Here there
are buttons which prove useful
throughout the tutorial: the
adjustment layers pull-down
menu, create a new layer, create a
layer set, and add layer mask.
16
SPHERIZE
17
STACKING LAYERS
20
MASK THE SET
Draw a square marquee on this layer so the
detail is on the right side. Choose Filter8Distort
8Spherize. Change the amount to 100 so it’s wrapped
around an invisible sphere. The detail size will increase;
just use free-transform again to resize it correctly.
Duplicate the layer and change the blending
mode to overlay to snap up the contrast.
Command-click the layer icon in the Layers palette then
create a new levels adjustment layer. Brighten the detail
midtones and highlights in the levels dialog box.
0
EXPERT TIP
DEREK LEA
PHOTOSHOP EXPERT
DRAG LAYERS
As well as using the Move tool to
drag one image from its window
onto another open window you
can drag layers straight from the
Layers palette.
062
18
STACKING CONTINUED
Make a selection from the detail layers. Create
a new layer on top with a blending mode of
colour. Sample a facial colour close to the detail with the
eydropper tool. Fill the selection on the colour layer with
your new foreground colour (option-delete) and deselect.
19
MAKE A NEW LAYER SET
Use the Create a new set button in the bottom
of the Layers palette to make a new layer set.
Drag all of your detail layers in from top to bottom so
they’re in the right order. Click Add a layer at the bottom
of the Layers palette to add a mask to the layer set.
Take your time here. Use a number of different
sized soft brushes with varying opacity settings
on your layer set mask to gently mask out the edges of
the architectural detail. In areas like the right side you‘ll
need some harder edged brushes to create a sharp edge.
4
LEARN MORE ABOUT
PHOTOSHOP TECHNIQUES
STAGE 4
New Masters of Photoshop, published by Friends of Ed.
(www.friendsofed.com) gives tips on image combining techniques,
as well as inspiration and insight into this kind of creative process
2
MORE DETAILS
Following the same method
of transforming, duplicating,
stacking, creating sets, and
masking, we’ll add in the rest
of the detail to the right side
of the face.
21
ANOTHER SET
24
LIGHTEN THE BROW
27
MERGE THE SETS
In details2.psd, make a selection. Drag your
selection to the working file. Make another
stack of layers, put it in a new set, free-transform the
detail set, using masking techniques to blend it. Create a
new layer with a lighten mode and use colours sampled
from her skin to paint over the shadows on her cheek.
22
THE EYEBROW
25
ADD A CURL
28
DUPLICATE THE SET
Open the file details3.psd and make a
selection from the existing path. Drag the
contents into the working file as a new layer. Use freetransform to place the piece over the right eyebrow. Do
the same stacking technique as for the two previous sets,
put the layers in a new set and add a mask to the set.
23
MASK THE BROW
26
POSITION THE CURL
29
COLOUR ADJUSTMENTS
Select a small, soft brush and mask out the
hard detail. Use a larger soft brush to remove
the bit at the upper right. Use the radial gradient tool with
a setting of foreground to transparent and a foreground
colour of black to create a smooth gradient near the
bridge of her nose to blend the detail in to that area.
? EXPLAINED
SAMPLING
Something you do when using
tools like the paintbrush or the
stamp clone tool. Often sampling
is performed using the option key
when you have a specific tool
selected. With the clone stamp
tool, sampling defines the origin
point of the part of the image you
will replicate. When using the
paintbrush tool, sampling accesses
the eydropper tool to select which
colour you will paint with.
Create a new layer and change the blending
mode to lighten. Using colours sampled from
the image and soft brushes with varying opacities, paint
over darker areas of the eyebrow that still remain visible.
STAGE 5
Bring in the area outlined in a path from the
file details4.psd as a new layer. Do the entire
transform, stack, set, mask process again and make this
curl look like it belongs just above the detail on her brow.
In file:details1.psd, make a selection from the
existing path. Make a stack, a set, add a mask,
and use free-transform to reshape it to surround the
previous curl. Drag this new set under the previous set.
2
THE FINISHING TOUCHES
Now that we have introduced the
detail to the right we need to
copy it to the left. And also it is
time to adjust her skin tone to
something less natural.
With your set selected, choose merge layer set
from the Layers palette sub menu (converts
your set to a single layer with a mask). Drag all the layers
into it that make up your architectural details, from top to
bottom so that they stay in their current order.
With this set selected, choose duplicate layer
set from the Layers palette sub-menu. Now
choose edit8Transform8Flip Horizontal from the menu.
Use the move tool (v) while holding down the shift key to
move it horizontally into place, to the left of the image.
Create a selective colour adjustment layer and
in the neutrals section, boost the cyan values
and reduce magenta and yellow. On a new layer with a
blending mode of colour and an opacity of 10%, fill the
entire area with a foreground colour of c58 m13 y24 k4.
063
PHOTO CLINIC RESTORATION
YOUR GUIDE ED DAVIS
Ed Davis is a London-based advertising and corporate photographer with many years
experience of studio and location photography. He specialises in image manipulation, and
delivers creative solutions that combine photography and digital technology. He is a member of
NAPP (National Association of Photoshop Professionals)
Equipment used: a scanner and Adobe Photoshop 7
[email protected]
WEBSITE www.ed-davis-photography.co.uk
Rejuvenating an old photo
Using adhesive tape to hold together favourite photographs causes damage over time. Ed Davis shows you how to use Photoshop and a bit
of imagination to reconstruct a ripped and stained picture
W
e’ve all kept photographs in our wallets or
handbags over the years, but we’re often
unaware of the damage this causes until
we take a photograph out to show our friends and
discover the picture is bent, creased or has fallen
apart. This may be our only photograph of a close
relative or friend.
CLINIC
CHALLENGE US
2
THE READER
ANTHONY STONE
Anthony was given this photo
of his twin cousins. He sent us
a scan of the image because
he was curious to see how
well a pro could restore it!
2
CHALLENGE LEVEL
8
2
2
1
BEFORE
This month’s photograph of twins has been stuck
together with adhesive tape. As the photograph
has aged, the glue has dried out, turned brown
and separated from the cellophane. A brown
stain is visible under the left-hand baby’s head,
hiding the collar and leaving a brow line across the
photograph. An attempt has been made to stick
The photograph is ripped, stained
and the twins’ legs have been lost
AFTER
together the ripped right-hand corner of the image.
Our task is to end up with a photograph that
doesn’t look as if it’s been retouched. Since the
picture is so badly damaged – with chunks of it
missing – the solution is to frame the final print in an
oval shape to give the impression that the image
carries on behind the frame.
The photograph looks natural and the
babies are sitting on a traditional fur rug
TIME TO REPAIR
10
HOURS
NOW SEND YOURS!
Contact us via email with a 100K
JPEG attached and, if we like it,
we’ll get in touch!
Email us today at:
[email protected]
8
04
Photo
Clinic
064
The photograph has ripped, and is covered in brown glue
stains from an attempt to hold it together with adhesive
tape. The surface is cracked, revealing the white paper
under the emulsion and the legs have been chopped off.
02 MISSING BACKGROUND
04 MISSING LEGS AND FEET
Solution: Separate the twins from the background,
create a larger area to work with and centralise
the twins.
Solution: Reconstruct some of the twins’ legs from the
existing image, and recreate the arm. Use the Copy and
Paste and Free Transform tools.
01 BROWN STAINING
03 RIPS, CRACKS AND OVERALL DAMAGE
05 PRESENTATION
Solution: Remove the colour, leaving only one tonal range
and use Desaturation in the Image/Adjustments Menu.
The image is now monotone.
Solution: Retouch the image using Copy and Paste, the
Clone tool and the Healing brush to get the picture ready
for reconstruction.
Solution: Create shadows, introduce a fur rug for the
babies to sit on, expand the background and frame the
picture to hide the missing feet.
4
FURTHER
INSPIRATION
Once you have finished retouching a picture, you can think about
the presentation. An oval surround can enhance the overall effect
STAGE 1
HOW TO GET RID
OF STAINS
2
Use the Desaturation
command to remove the
brown stains left by the dried
out glue of the adhesive tape.
01
REMOVE THE STAINS
04
THE MISSING PICTURE
07
START REMOVING THE BACKGROUND
An attempt has been made to repair the
photograph by applying adhesive tape over
the damage. This has since dried out, leaving a brown
stain. There are also small blemishes on the faces of the
twins, clothing and background.
STAGE 2
02
DESATURATE THE IMAGE
05
SELECT THE RIGHT SHAPE
08
KEEP REMOVING THE BACKGROUND
In the Options Bar, open Image8Adjust8
Desaturate. This takes away the colour from
the image, neutralises some of the stains and gives one
tonal range to work with. The warm black and white tone
can be recreated later.
03
DESATURATION EFFECT
06
ENLARGE THE CANVAS
09
CREATE A NEW BACKGROUND
The brown taped areas and the stains are
much easier to retouch when you’re working
with one tonal range – the uniformity of the tone enables
you to produce an evenly retouched picture.
2
HOW TO EXPAND
THE BACKGROUND
Remove the twins from the
existing background, expand
the canvas and centralise
them in the frame.
There is a great deal of damage to the
background. Because the twins are in
reasonable condition we are going to concentrate on
making a new background.
Use the Lasso Tool from the Tool Bar (L), with a
feather setting of 1px and make a selection
around one of the twins. Copy (Ctrl + C) and Paste (Ctrl + V)
the copy on its own layer. Repeat with the other twin.
They can now be moved independently.
Changing the shape of the photograph
minimises the amount of retouching required.
The twins had to be supported – the helper’s arms, which
are marked in blue, need to be removed. The red marks
represent a guess at how the legs might have looked.
Click on the eye icon of the Background layer,
on the Layers palette. The original image will
disappear, leaving the twins on a clean surface. From this
point it is possible to put them on any kind of background.
Next, expand the size of the canvas to give
more space around the twins. Click Image8
Canvas Size and, in the dialog box, type a suitable size –
for example 200%. This increases the background 200%
in each direction and gives you plenty of space.
At this stage, you can choose to keep the
background as near as possible to the original
print, or you can create your own (for example, a studio
setting, park or at home). Here we’ve sat our twins on a
fur rug in a studio.
065
PHOTO CLINIC RESTORATION
ONE-CLICK FIX If you are applying a filter or an adjustment and you want to enlarge your image to see the effect more clearly, press Ctrl+ to enlarge and Ctrl- to reduce the size of the image
0
EXPERT TIP
ED DAVIS
PHOTOSHOP EXPERT
BACKGROUND
MATERIAL
If you have a fur rug to hand and
a digital camera, you can take a
photograph of it and import it
into Photoshop. If not, look on
the net for a good side view
photograph of a polar bear, Copy
and Paste a section of the fur into
the shape you require.
10
CREATE A BACKGROUND
13
GIVE DEPTH TO THE IMAGE
16
CRACKS AND BLEMISHES
Create a new layer, click on the New Layer icon
at the bottom of the Layers palette. Then, select
the Rectangular Marquee tool from the Tool bar (M), and
click and drag a rectangle from the top-left corner to the
bottom-right side, level with the babies’ knees.
To give depth to the area the twins are sitting
on, click Edit8Transform8Perspective (Ctrl + T),
then drag the handles on the bottom of the box out, and
the handles on the top in, in order to distort the area and
give it some depth.
STAGE 3
11
INSTANT BACKGROUND
14
CREATE THE FUR RUG
17
CREATE THE MISSING LEGS AND ARM
To produce a mottle effect background, change
the colours in the Set Foreground/Background
Colour box on the Tool bar to two different shades of grey.
On the Option bar, click Filter8Render8Clouds. The area
will be filled with a soft, mottled effect.
Import an image of a polar bear from the
internet. Open the image in Photoshop,
click the Lasso tool in the Tool bar (L) and select an area of
fur. Copy (Ctrl + C) and Paste the fur onto the photograph
of the twins (Ctrl + V) and desaturate (step 1) the
photograph of the fur.
12
SOMETHING TO SIT ON
15
FINAL SETTING
18
BLEND IN
Follow steps 10 and 11 again, but this time
select the bottom part of the image and add a
5px feather to the Rectangular Marquee tool. As before,
select another two tones of slightly darker grey to give
the impression that the babies are sitting on a surface.
Switch off the layers containing the twins (see
step 8), position the fur rug approximately
where it should be and click and drag. This enables you to
see the background, foreground and rug clearly. You can
then turn the layers with the twins on and off until the
position is correct.
2
HOW TO REPAIR AND
RECONSTRUCT THE IMAGE
Reconstruct the ripped pieces,
repair the cracks and clean up the
stains, using the Copy and Paste
technique, the Clone Tool and the
Healing Brush.
Select the Healing brush (J) from the Tool
bar, move the cursor over an undamaged
area, hold down the Alt key, click and drag the mouse
to a damaged area and release. Repeat until all the
smaller blemishes are covered.
066
Make a selection around the baby’s arm using
the Lasso tool (L), with the feather setting at
1px. Copy (Ctrl + C) and Paste (Ctrl + V), then click
Edit8Free Transform (Ctrl + T), move it into place and
right-click inside the box. Click8Perspective and drag the
corners of the box to taper the image to form the leg.
In the Tool bar, select the Eraser tool (E), chose
a soft-edge brush, click on the layer with the
new part of the leg, remove any parts that overlap,
leaving a soft edge. To blend the two parts together, click
Image8Adjust8Levels (Ctrl + L) and adjust the tone of the
new leg using the sliders.
4
FURTHER
INSPIRATION
19
MERGE THE IMAGES
Once all the new sections of the twins are in
position and adjusted, they can be merged
into one layer. Turn off the layers that are not part of the
twins, click on the Eye icon in the Layers palette, then click
the small arrow in the top-right of the Layers palette, and
click Merge Visible on the drop-down menu.
IN FOCUS
20
Experiment with a different tone. To give the image a more modern
feel, leave it back and white and frame it with a black border. There are
many ways to finish off the retouching – it’s a personal choice
NEW SHADOWS
Click on the New Layer icon on the Layers
palette. Drag the new layer below the twins’
layer. Select the layer with the twins, leave cursor on the
layer and press Ctrl to make a selection around the objects.
Click New Layer, pick the Paint Bucket tool (G), set the
foreground colour to black and click inside the selection.
21
PRODUCE SHADOWS
23
RE-COLOURING
24
THE OVAL FRAME
Copy the direction of the lighting and shadows.
Turn off the twins’ layer. Click the Lasso tool,
make a selection around the top of the image and Copy
and Paste onto its own layer. Click Edit8Transform8Distort
to the left, open the Filters Palette8Blur8Gaussian Blur
and use sliders to make it look natural.
DIFFERENT EFFECTS
Before re-colouring, all the layers have to be
merged. Click on the small arrow at the top of
the Layers palette, click on Flatten Image and click
Image8Adjust8Hue/Saturation (Ctrl + U). Click the Colorize
Box and adjust the Hue and Saturation sliders.
@ SEND YOURS!
We want your faded, damaged
pictures today!
Send them in, we’ll fix them up for
free, show everyone how we did it
and send them back restored!
The sort of pictures we’re after
need to be decent photos which
have become damaged –
unfortunately we can’t make badly
composed/shot photos good.
■ Contact us via email, with a small
JPEG of the photo attached, and if
it’s right for the mag, we’ll get in
touch. How’s that for a bargain?
Email the following address:
@
[email protected]
22
FINISHING TOUCHES
As the original photograph
was so badly damaged, it
would be difficult and time consuming to
reconstruct the whole image including the
background. Framing the photograph is a
good way to hide what is missing.
OVAL SURROUND
Once you have finished
retouching the picture,
you can think about
how to show it off.
Once mounted in an
oval shape, no-one
will suspect the extent
of the damage
TONAL EFFECTS
Experiment with tonal
effects – here we’ve left
the picture back and
white and framed it with
a black border
Click the Create a New Layer icon on the Layers
palette, pick the Elliptical marquee and select
your frame. Invert the selection (Ctrl + Shift + I), select
Paint Bucket, choose a colour and click inside the selection.
067
TUTORIAL SOLVING FLASH ERRORS
YOUR GUIDE TIM DALY
Tim has written several books on photography including The Digital Photography
Handbook, The Digital Printing Handbook and The Desktop Photographer, and he
continues to write for The British Journal of Photography and AG. His photographs
have been exhibited across Europe
[email protected]
PORTFOLIO TIM DALY WEBSITE WWW.PHOTOCOLLEGE.CO.UK
Solving flash errors in
Photoshop Elements
There’s no need to dump those less-than-perfect flash photographs in your camera’s wastebasket; try a few simple
edits in Photoshop Elements first. Tim Daly sheds some light on six easy techniques
TUTORIAL
KEY DETAILS
2
SKILL BOOSTER
3
2
2
TIME TO COMPLETE
10
MINS
PER IMAGE
2
0
U
sing your built-in flash unit to add extra light
to your digital images will take many shots to
master, but Photoshop Elements can bale you
out of your early mistakes. Unlike continuous daylight,
flashlight turns on and off in an instant and frequently
lasts for less than 1/1000th of a second. Yet in that brief
amount of time, the character and atmosphere of your
image will be changed forever. Flash photography is
tricky for novices and professionals alike but Elements
can deal with the six most common mistakes.
Red eye takes top spot as the easiest flash mistake
and is caused by light reflecting back off your subject’s
retina. Better digital cameras are usually fitted with a
red-eye reduction mode which fires off a weak pre-flash
to close your subject’s iris. In subdued lighting, your iris
opens up to allow more light in so when direct flash is
used, the wide open iris shows the red disc-like retina in
all it’s gory glory.
Reflective surfaces are the next hardest subject to
include in flash photographs. Light travels in straight
lines and if any of these surfaces falls in its way, then
the result is an obvious hotspot. Reflected back at great
intensity, light forms into tiny white patches, particularly
on spectacles, the glass in picture frames and the
CORRECTING HOTSPOTS
biggest offender of them all: windows. Burn-out is a
more severe example of the same kind of error, but is
most often caused by the flash light accidentally hitting
an object before it reaches its intended target. As flash
is self-regulating and works by shutting itself off after it
bounces back off the first subject in its path, burn out is
a common problem when composing with rangefindertype compact cameras. The complexities of arranging
flash light to cover a more substantial area is the root
cause of the final two mistakes: over-exposure where
your images turn out much brighter than you expected
and darker or under-exposed images.
One of the most common headaches of flash photography is
a hotspot like this one. Here’s what to do…
EXPERT TIP
TIM DALY
PHOTOSHOP EXPERT
OFF-CAMERA
FLASH GUNS
Many flash errors can be solved by
using a flash unit removed from
the camera body. Attached to the
hotshoe adaptor via a flexible sync
cable, the off camera flash can
offer more choice in light direction
and position. Many good quality
digital compacts can be linked to
more powerful flashguns, which
are well worth considering if you
feel limited by your present results.
068
01
ZOOM INTO THE HIGHLIGHTS
Metallic or reflective subjects like this
bronze statue are notoriously tricky to light,
even with studio flash. Typically the flash makes a
narrow hotspot in the centre of the frame. The trick is
to remove the hotspots but still maintain a highlight.
02
STAMP IT OUT
Pick the Rubber stamp tool from the
toolbox and select a large soft-edged brush.
Pick sample points from as near as you can without
compromising the original detail or introducing foreign
colours. In small strokes, remove the brightest areas.
03
BURN IT IN
Finally, pick the Burning in tool and set it to
Highlight mode with a large soft-edged
brush. Darken the highlights only and reduce its
Exposure to 20%. Gradually work on the brighter areas
without making them identical to their surroundings.
;
5
SOLVING DARK BACKGROUNDS
01
JUDGE THE BACKGROUND
02
SELECT THE DARK AREA
A large foreground subject is one reason
for a dark background
03
LEVEL IT OUT
When shooting at close range, your subject
can blot out the remaining background and
prevent it being exposed correctly. With this example,
a noontime shot looks like it was taken at sunset.
Use your lasso tool to draw around the dark
background until the shape is captured in
one selection. To add more selection, hold Shift and
draw; to remove sections, hold down the Alt key.
WARMING UP
Flash used outdoors can often make your photos look cold and sometimes the result
won’t resemble your original subject…
01
CURING COLD FLASH
Flash mixed in with daylight often causes
the final image to look colder than
expected. When one colour dominates, others such as
skin tone are weakened and the image looks stark.
02
REMOVE THE BLUES
Open the Enhance8Adjust Colour8Colour
Variations dialog box and click the Midtone
option. Make sure the Colour Intensity amount is set
halfway, then click on the Decrease Blue thumbnail.
IMPROVING COLOUR
NEXT MONTH
MAKING CREATIVE EDGES
IN PHOTOSHOP
Apply a 2 pixel Feather radius to your
selection to soften the edge, then open the
Levels dialog (Enhance8Adjust Brightness Contrast8
Levels). The mid-tone slider can brighten the selection.
03
ALL WARMED UP
The final result has lost its blue cast, leaving
an accurate skin tone and a much sunnier
atmosphere all over. You can always return to the
Variations dialog and make more adjustments.
The other possibility with using flash outdoors is over-exposure where
all strong colour definition is lost
* WEB LINKS
PROFOTOS
01
RESCUE WASHED OUT IMAGES
When flash mixes with strong daylight, the
result can be an over-exposed result. Whites
and pastel tones predominate and all strong hues are
lost. First, make a duplicate background layer.
02
MULTIPLY THE LAYER
Next, make this duplicate layer active then
choose the Overlay blending mode from
the Blending modes drop down menu in your layers
palette. Your weak image will now be beefed up.
03
ALTERNATIVE ENDINGS
The success of the Blending modes really
depends on the colours in your original
image, so if the Overlay mode overcooks your image,
try the Colour Burn at 50% as an alternative solution.
Check out the in-depth flash
techniques of Les Voorhis at
www.profotos.com/
education/promag/articles/
october2001/fill_flash/
index.shtml
069
TUTORIAL PHOTOSHOP FILTERS
YOUR GUIDE TIM DALY
Tim has written several books on photography including The Digital Photography
Handbook, The Digital Printing Handbook and The Desktop Photographer, and he
continues to write for The British Journal of Photography and AG. His photographs
have been exhibited across Europe
[email protected]
Photoshop filters and
how to use them
Don’t just use filters straight off the menu; you can achieve much more creative results with a bit
of lateral thinking. Tim Daly shows you four new ways to get subtle
TUTORIAL
2
KEY DETAILS
SKILL BOOSTER
7
2
2
TIME TO COMPLETE
5
MINS PER IMAGE
NEXT MONTH
How to add movement to
your digital photos
* WEB LINKS
S
oftware filters work in exactly the same way
as conventional camera filters but have the
added advantage of variable intensity and, if
used carefully, reverse gear. With paintbrush, pencils and
pastels a good starting point for minimal or simplified
compositions like a still life or a sparse landscape, these
filters will remove most fine details from your image,
leaving a pattern or preset design across your work.
Most creative filters have additional tools within a dialog
box such as brush size, stroke length and background
texture. The real problem with all these tools is that they
apply the same preset routines to each and every image
that is processed through Photoshop. Filters are generally
applied as the finishing stage and unfortunately become
an indelible part of your Photoshop file, but if applied
sensitively and to a more flexible home like a layer, filter
effects can be both sensational and genuinely timesaving devices. If you are uncertain about the damaging
effects of your filtering, make a duplicate layer first and
apply the filter to this rather than the underlying original.
The advantage of working on a duplicate layer is that
you can use the Eraser tool to cut holes through the
filtered layer to reveal unfiltered parts underneath.
Filters work by applying mathematically generated
FOCUS BLUR ON A LAYER
responses to both pixel colour and their position in your
bitmap. With complex routines such as the Lighting
Effects filter, the huge calculations can slow down older
PCs. Make sure your software has enough memory for
this kind of task – ideally this should be five times
greater than the largest image file you’ll encounter.
Photoshop and Photoshop Elements share the same
filter pack, but only Elements gives the user a visual
taster of the effect in the palette. If you’re really keen
on filtering, you can customise your application with a
plug-in filter pack like Coral KPT, Andromeda or Xenofex,
(see Web links below left).
Use two layers to create a soft focus effect behind
the image and blend it to the original
CORAL KPT6.0
www.coral.com
The latest version is distributed by
Corel and features wacky effects
called Goo, Sky Effects, LensFlare,
Turbulence and many others.
XENOFEX
www.xenofex.xom
Download a trial version of the
Xenofex filter here. It adds a
wonderful set of texture filters to
your imaging application.
ANDROMEDA
www.andromeda.com
Another Photoshop plug-in that
lets you drape a photographic
image around a 3D shape like a
cube or sphere. You can download
a demo version from this site.
070
01
MAKE A DUPLICATE LAYER
Rename your background layer and then
make a duplicate layer by clicking on the
tiny icon at the base of the layer palette. Return to
your layers palette and turn off the uppermost layer
by clicking on the tiny eye icon.
02
USE THE GAUSSIAN BLUR
Working on the bottom layer, pick the
Blur8Gaussian Blur filter and move the
dialog box into an area of your desktop that doesn’t
get in the way. Move the Radius slider until it reaches
15 and your layer appears defocused.
03
CUT THROUGH WITH THE ERASER TOOL
Turn back on the sharp uppermost layer and
select the Eraser tool with a soft-edges brush
of 30 pixels and with 100% Opacity. Next, gradually
remove the areas of this layer that you want to be
blurred ie. to reveal the underlying soft-focused layer.
? EXPLAINED
FADING TEXTURE FILTERS
01
APPLY THE TEXTURIZER
From the filters menu, choose Texture8
Texturizer to access to the most versatile
range. This filter dialog offers you four preset designs
or other textures in Photoshop’s Preset8Texture folder.
02
You can apply a fade effect in Photoshop with minimal
fuss. Just follow these three simple steps…
DECIDE ON THE STRENGTH
Experiment with Scaling and Relief. Scaling
determines individual texture component
size and Relief controls contrast. Don’t panic if images
look crude, even if you’ve set low values.
BLENDING FILTERS
03
FADE UNTIL SUBTLE
Immediately after filtering, do Edit8Fade
Texturizer. You’ll see two controls found also
on the layers palette. Reduce the Opacity slider to 45%
and experiment with the Blending options.
You can blend using the Fade command but there’s no return gear
once you’ve done an edit. Here’s a better way to do it…
VECTORS V BITMAPS
It’s impossible to apply a filter to a
Type layer because it’s a vector
rather than pixel layer. To solve
the problem, select Layer8
Rasterize8Type which makes it
uneditable by changing it into a
pixel layer. Once completed you can
apply any filter or colour effect to it,
but you can no longer change the
type face or font, or correct spelling
mistakes. Blur filters are great for
making type look as if it’s caught in
a high wind.
FADING FILTER EFFECTS
IN PHOTOSHOP
To avoid the very obvious effects of
a filter ruining your image, select the
Edit8Fade (the name of your last
filter) option immediately after
making the filter command. This
enables you to vary the intensity of
the filter outside its dialog box and
creates an effect just like the Layer
opacity slider in your Layers palette.
Filters that have been reduced by
the Fade Filter command look much
more skillful and complimentary.
BLENDING FILTERS
In addition to the Fade Filter
command, filters can also be
modified using the same Blending
modes found in layers. Blending
modes can produce very
unexpected results by merging the
effect with its selection area or layer.
01
NEGATIVE AND POSITIVE MIX
Use a separate layer which can be blended,
cut through and discarded if needs be. This
technique mixes negative and positive in one image.
02
INVERT LAYER
Take a single layer image, click the duplicate
layer and make a negative with Image8
Adjustments8Invert. Image colours look odd at first.
03
BLEND AND CUT
From the Blend pop-up menu on the layers
palette, choose Hue blending mode. Use the
Eraser tool (upper layer) to ‘paint’ back positive areas.
CORRECTING DUST AND SCRATCHES
Touch up damaged scans of
negatives and transparencies
0
EXPERT TIP
TIM DALY
PHOTOSHOP EXPERT
FILTER PROBLEMS
IN PHOTOSHOP
All filters are available when working
in the RGB colour mode, but the set
will reduce if you are editing CMYK,
Greyscale, Lab or Index mode
images. If you are editing a 16 bitper-channel image all the filters will
be out of use. If the filters still seem
unavailable, double-check that you
are not working on a type or vector
layer by mistake.
FILTERING IN
SMALL AREAS
01
MAKE THE SELECTION
Use the lasso selection tool to select the
area you want to filter and make a 50 pixel
feather radius so it blends with its surroundings.
02
DUST AND SCRATCHES FILTER
Make your image 100% then do Filter8
Noise8Dust. From dialog, set the Threshold
value at 1 then increase the Radius pixel by pixel.
03
RETOUCH ANY LEFT-OVERS
Don’t use one huge filter on the marks, or
your image will lose sharpness. Large dust
marks can be removed using the rubber stamp tool.
You can filter smaller selection areas
but a much better way to ring fence
the effects of a filter is to apply it to
a duplicate layer. Once applied, cut
away the excess layer areas with
your Eraser tool and let it float over
your background layer and use the
Layer variables such as opacity
and blending modes to make it
look convincing.
071
NEW SERIES GET STARTED WITH PAINT SHOP PRO
YOUR GUIDE JOE APICE
Joe has been a keen amateur photographer for over 20 years and trains others in basic camera
techniques. His work has been exhibited in local galleries and he’s an avid user of Paint Shop
Pro and Photoshop
[email protected]
PORTFOLIO JOE APICE
Creating simple 3D
effects with PSP
Enhance your photos with simple three dimensional effects and see your pictures from a different
perspective. Joe Apice explains how
TIPS GUIDE
KEY DETAILS
2
SKILL LEVEL
8
2
2
TIME TO COMPLETE
30
MINSPERIMAGE
NEXT MONTH
Reflections
W
henever we view a photo, we see the
image on a two dimensional plane. Over
the years, photographers have used tricks and
techniques to give photographs the illusion of the third
plane or depth. These techniques have included blurring
and shadowing effects, perspective alignment and
colour enhancement.
When objects in the foreground are very sharp and
those in the background are a little out of focus, our
eyes interpret the image as having depth. An image on
a computer screen or printed on photo paper looks two
dimensional, but as soon as you add a drop shadow to
the photo it seems to lift itself off the paper. In the
perspective approach, foreground objects are larger than
those in the background, creating an illusion of distance
or depth in the image.
In both cases, the intent is to fool the eye into
believing that objects are on a different plane and make
a two dimensional image look three dimensional.
With the tools available in photo-editing programs
such as PSP, many of the techniques – once thought
to be a black art – can be replicated quickly.
Effects, such as drop shadowing, bevelling,
embossing, blurring and lighting not only make things
IMAGE PREPARATION
7TOOL SCHOOL
TOOL PALETTE
The Lasso tool, Selection tool, Clone
brush and Preset Shapes tool are
located in the Tool palette
simple, but also provide an excellent degree of control.
In this month’s tutorial we will be using some basic
tools to achieve a simple three dimensional effect.
Hopefully they will help you develop some ideas of your
own to make images look three dimensional.
Set the foreground and background colours and make the initial
selection of those objects that will be in the foreground
8
8
3 IN DETAIL
COLOUR AND LIGHTNESS
The Auto Color Balance and Auto
Saturation commands are not
available in earlier versions of Paint
Shop Pro. To achieve similar results
with the earlier versions of PSP, use
Colors8Adjust8Color Balance and
Colors8Adjust8Hue/Saturation/
Lightness command.
072
01
SET THE COLOURS
Using the Eyedropper tool, set the foreground
and background colours. The foreground
colour is set by placing the Eyedropper tool over one
of the leaves and clicking the left mouse button. The
background colour is set by placing the Eyedropper
tool at the top edge of the sky area and clicking the right
mouse button.
02
MAKE THE SELECTION
The flowers will be used to create the
illusion of an object in the foreground. To
select the flowers, use the Lasso tool in Freehand
mode, set the Feather value to zero and make the
selection. The flower selection is then copied to a
separate window using Edit8Copy and Edit8Paste8As
New Image commands.
03
THE SKY IS BLUE
Although the flowers were cut off when the
picture was taken, they can be restored with
the Clone tool. Before doing so, we need to add a border
at the top of the image to make the cloning possible. To
add the border, go to the Main Menu bar and select
Image8Add Borders. Uncheck the Symmetric box and
enter a value of 20 to 25 pixels in the box labelled Top.
4
FURTHER
INSPIRATION
NEXT STEPS
For simple 3D effects, cut and paste an object from another photograph into the image.
First select the object using the Lasso tool, then use Edit8Copy to store the object in
memory. Move to your main image and use Edit8Paste to place the object in the foreground
* WEB LINKS
Next, we’ll make the brightness adjustments, create a frame to give an illusion of
depth, diffuse some of the details and add colours to warm the scene
TUTORIAL WEBSITE
http://psp7tutorials.homestead.
com/index.html
The perception of depth or distance
can be achieved with the use of
colours, shadows, overlapping
shapes, perspective and detail.
Shadows and overlapping shapes
work best with objects in the
foreground; contrasting colours are
best suited when separating objects
in the background; and perspectives
provide a feeling of depth between
the foreground and background.
04
ADJUST THE BRIGHTNESS
07
CREATE OBJECTS IN THE FOREGROUND
Lightening the image removes some of the
detail and diffuses the background. On the
Main Menu bar, select Colors8Adjust8Curves to adjust the
brightness. In the Curves dialog window, drag the point at
the centre of the grid diagonally upward until the Input
reads 91 and the Output reads 156.
Use the Preset Shapes tool with a line width of
10, uncheck the Retain Style and Antialias boxes
and check the Create as Vector box. In the Color Palette
window, click the right arrow in the Background Colour box
and select the No Color option. Draw a box about 1cm
from the edge and select Layers8Convert to Raster.
05
DIFFUSE SOME DETAIL
08
BEVEL THE FRAME
Use the Rectangle Selection tool, with a
feather value of 15, and draw a rectangular
area centred on the image about 1cm away from each of
the inside edges. The frame effect is created by inverting
the rectangle selection using the Selection8Invert
command on the Main Menu bar.
To create a 3D effect in the frame, use a
bevelling effect. On the Main Menu bar, select
Effects83D Effects8Inner Bevel. When the bevel dialog
window appears, enter the values shown. You can
experiment with different colours in the Light Color box
but white works best in this situation.
06
DIFFUSE THE DETAILS
09
RESTORE THE FLOWERS
To create the illusion of depth, blur the area
inside the frame selection. On the Main Menu
bar, select Effect8Blur8Gaussian Blur. When the Blur dialog
window appears, enter a Radius value of 20 to 25. The
blur effect acts as a separator between the foreground
and background and creates the illusion of depth.
The image of the flowers should still be active
on your screen. If the image is stored to disk,
recall it by using the File8Open command. When the
image appears, select Edit8Copy, move to the original image
and use Edit8Paste8As New Layer. Use the Move tool to
place the new layer with flowers on the existing ones.
0
EXPERT TIP
JOE APICE
PAINTSHOP PRO EXPERT
USING THE BRUSH
SIZE CURSOR
10
FILL THE MISSING PIECES
Remove the edge of the image and fill the
empty space by cloning some of the flowers
into it. On the Standard tool bar, select the Clone tool. Use
a round brush in Aligned mode with the settings shown
and copy some of the flowers into the area.
11
ADD WARMTH
To remove the blue colour cast and add some
warmth, use the Auto Color Balance filter.
Select Effects8Enhance Photo8Automatic Color Balance
from the Main Menu bar and when the dialog window
appears, move the temperature slider to the left.
12
THE END RESULT
As you can see in the finished image, 3D
effects can be achieved quickly and easily with
just a few basic tools. Visual effects such as these can be
useful when creating greeting cards – why not try them
on some of your own images?
When using the Clone tool, make
sure you set your tool preferences
to show the brush size cursor
instead of precise cursors. You can
change the cursor type by clicking
the Cursor and Tablet Options tab in
the Clone Tool Option palette.
073
NEW SERIES GET STARTED WITH PAINT SHOP PRO
YOUR GUIDE JOE APICE
Joe has been a keen amateur photographer for over 20 years and trains others in basic camera
techniques. His work has been exhibited in local galleries and he’s an avid user of Paint Shop
Pro and Photoshop
[email protected]
PORTFOLIO JOE APICE WEBSITE http://apice.homestead.com/index.html
Making people look
younger with PSP
Want to look younger without resorting to cosmetic surgery? Let Paint Shop Pro be your surgeon. It’s
easy and fun – Joe Apice shows you how…
W
wrinkles, smooth out pores, remove blemishes and
recolour grey hair.
Interestingly enough, the aging process can be
turned both ways. In other words, you can digitally
make someone look younger and better, or you
can make them older and worse (though we
don’t know why you would want to make someone
look older!). In this month’s tutorial we will discuss
some very basic tools available in Paint Shop Pro,
which you can use in order to erase those unwanted
wrinkles and blemishes and reverse a little of the
aging process…
GET STARTED
Make an initial selection and then apply a Gaussian Blur
filter to determine the amount of softening required
KEY DETAILS
2
SKILL LEVEL
6
2
2
TIME TO COMPLETE
15
MINSPERIMAGE
NEXT MONTH
Colouring B&W portraits
8
3 IN DETAIL
AUTO SATURATION
The Auto Saturation feature is not
available in earlier versions of
Paint Shop Pro. To achieve similar
results with the earlier versions
of PSP, use Colors8Adjust8Hue/
Saturation/Lightness.
074
7TOOL SCHOOL
ouldn’t it be nice to turn back the hands of
time? At some point in our lives we all
wish that we could look a few years
younger – or at least be able to remove some of those
wrinkles and blemishes.
Over the years, people have spent thousands of
pounds on products to reduce the appearance of aging.
After all, most magazines and advertisements sell the
idea that younger is better. In fact, our entire culture
has become obsessed with looking younger. Realistically,
we can’t turn back the clock, but digitally, we can. With
the help of photo-editing software, we can remove
TIPS GUIDE
01
IDENTIFY THE PROBLEMS
Looking at the image, we can see that the
woman has developed wrinkles around the
eyes, the skin has large pores around the forehead and
chin, and there is evidence of dry skin near the cheek and
nose area. Finally, the face appears a bit too round, which
may have resulted from the subject’s proximity to the lens
when the picture was taken.
TOOL PALETTE
The Lasso tool, Paintbrush tool,
Deformation tool and Crop tool
are located in the Tool palette.
8
02
SELECT THE LEFT EYE AREA
The first task is to deal with the wrinkles below
the woman’s eye. Using the Lasso tool in
Freehand mode, make a selection of the area around the
wrinkles. To make the selection, go to the Standard Tool
bar and select the Lasso tool. In the Tool Option palette,
select Freehand mode and set the Feather value to 10.
Make the selection as shown.
03
REMOVE THE WRINKLES
With the selection in place, go to the Main
Menu bar and select Effects8Blur8Gaussian
Blur. When the dialog window appears, enter a Radius
value of 1.5. Generally, a Radius value between 1 and 2 is
sufficient to do the job. Larger values will add more blur
but the results will not look natural.
4
ONE-CLICK
FIX
GOING FURTHER
04
SELECT THE RIGHT EYE AREA
07
SAMPLE THE FACE COLOUR
Using the Lasso tool, make a similar selection
underneath the right eye. On the Standard Tool
bar select the Lasso tool. Retain the Freehand mode and
the same Feather value of 10. Apply the Blur filter by
selecting Effects8Blur8Gaussian Blur from the Main Menu
bar and enter a value of 1.5 for the Radius.
With the selection in place, go to the Standard
Tool bar and select the Eyedropper tool. Place
the tool inside the selected area and sample a colour that
is more representative of the average skin tone. Click the
left mouse button to select the colour. This will now
become the foreground colour for our Paintbrush tool.
You can quickly apply a soft focus effect to the entire image by using the Blur
feature in Paint Shop Pro. On the Main Menu bar, select Effects8Blur8Soften
Remove the remaining wrinkles, smooth out the skin areas around
the nose and chin, thin out the face and add some lip colour
05
FIX THE FOREHEAD AREA
08
PAINT AWAY DRY SKIN
Continue with the Lasso tool to select the area
of the forehead. We want the hair to remain
sharp, so make a smaller selection and use a larger
feather value. In this case, used a Feather value of 15
instead of 10 to spread the selection as shown. Apply the
Gaussian Blur filter using a Radius value of 2.
The Paintbrush tool enables you to change the
skin colour, and it can provide a finer degree of
control over the amount of retouching that is applied to
the area by simply varying the opacity of the brush. Here,
we’ve used a large soft brush (100), with the opacity and
hardness values set at 20.
06
HANDLE DRY SKIN
09
SELECT AND SOFTEN THE CHIN
Next, tackle the dry skin around the area near
the right cheek and nose. Once again, use the
Lasso tool to make the selection. Keep the tool in
Freehand mode and set the Feather value to 10. Make
the selection as shown. Instead of applying the Gaussian
Blur filter to the selection, we’ll use a different technique.
Next, use the Gaussian Blur filter to remove
large pores and wrinkles on the chin. Select the
chin area using the Lasso tool in Freehand mode and raise
the Feather value to 15. Keep the selection away from the
subject’s lips. Smooth out the area using the Gaussian Blur
filter with a Radius value of 1.5.
* WEB LINKS
TUTORIAL WEBSITE
http://psp7tutorials.homestead
.com/index.html
Filter manufacturers such as Hoya
and Tiffen produce high-quality softfocus filters that are used to soften
the skin and reduce unwanted
wrinkles and blemishes. Minolta has
been marketing a soft focus 100mm
f2.8 lens that is largely used for
portrait photography. It produces a
soft effect around your subject while
the image remains very sharp at the
centre. The filters available in Paint
Shop Pro can reproduce these same
effects at a fraction of the price. The
advantage in using PSP filters is that
the amount of softness can be
controlled and they can be applied
to the entire image or only selected
areas of the image.
0
EXPERT TIP
JOE APICE
PAINTSHOP PRO EXPERT
TOOL PREFERENCES
When using the Paintbrush tool,
make sure you set up your tool
preferences to show the rounded
Brush Size cursor instead of the
Precise Cursor. This will allow you to
see the exact area where the brush
will paint the colour rather than
guessing the size of the brush tip.
You can change the cursor type by
clicking the Cursor and Tablet
Options tab in the Tool Option
palette and unchecking the box
labelled Use Precise Cursors.
SOFT FOCUS
10
ATTENTION TO DETAIL
Use the Lasso tool to select the lips. To saturate
the lip colour, use the Auto Saturation feature.
On the Main Menu bar, select Effects8Enhance Photo8
Auto Saturation Enhancement. In the Auto Saturation
window, select Normal for bias and Strong for strength.
11
LOOKING SLIMMER
Open the Layers palette and double click on
Background. When the Layer Properties
window opens, click the OK button. On the Standard Tool
bar, select the Deformation tool and drag the bottom
corners inward when the handles and guides appear.
12
A YOUNGER APPEARANCE
The areas containing the wrinkles, large pores
and dry skin are essentially removed, and the
face also appears younger than the original image.
Depending on the portrait, you can add blusher or eye
shadow to further enhance the image.
Want to create a pleasing soft focus
effect? Place a shear nylon stocking
over the lens before taking your
picture. The stocking will soften the
image and produce a very
interesting effect. Try different
colour stockings to vary the effects.
075
SECTION #03 YOUR CAMERA
TECHNIQUE
COMMON PHOTO MISTAKES
Tim Daly discusses eight classic photo blunders
and how to avoid them
PAGE
TECHNIQUE
MACRO MODES
We explore how to use macro lenses for some
stunning close-up photography
PAGE
Q&A
ALL YOUR CAMERA QUESTIONS ANSWERED
Aidan O’Rourke answers your camera technique,
image editing and printing queries
PAGE
80
82
84
TECHNIQUE
COMMON PHOTO MISTAKES
SEE PAGE 80
PAGE
PAGE
80
PAGE
82
84
Your camera
Expert guides to taking better pictures
f
Our mission is to ensure that our tutorials bring you creative
ideas, expert techniques, tips and quick fixes you can use in
your own work. Authoritative A leading professional in their
field writes every tutorial. Value added Where possible, we
Contact our tutorials team
include image files, and full or trial software so you can try
the tutorial for yourself, delivering a complete package.
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If you have a comment, suggestion, idea or submission you
would like to make, please email us at the following addresses:
[email protected] Visit our website at
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TECHNIQUE USING YOUR CAMERA
YOUR GUIDE TIM DALY
Tim has written several books on photography including The Digital Photography Handbook, The
Digital Printing Handbook and The Desktop Photographer, and he continues to write for The
British Journal of Photography and AG. His photographs have been exhibited across Europe
[email protected]
Solving common
photo mistakes
Even a simple error can ruin a perfectly good photograph, but if
you’re aware of the likely causes, you can improve your strike
rate dramatically. Tim Daly looks at the top eight offences
ABOVE Unexpected cropping
off the tops of heads can be
caused by parallax error
RIGHT This example shows a
clever cropping to focus your
attention on the central player
in the composition
080
T
his month we’re going to show you how to
avoid annoying errors that can spoil a
photograph. You know the kind of thing – a
chopped off head, poor exposure, camera shake and
unattractive obstructions.
01 Crop and frame
Subjects such as buildings and standing people are often
the wrong shape to fit into a rectangular landscape
composition, so try to shoot them in a portrait format
instead. It’s not essential to get everything in the frame
– if you’re left with wasted space around the edges, use
your zoom lens to crop closer or, if your camera has a
fixed focal length lens, physically move closer. Portrait
shots at range are disappointing if priority is given to the
whole figure rather than the more interesting facial
expressions. If you’re not sure about the results you’re
likely get if you go in closer, try shooting several
variations such as a tight head shot, head and shoulders
and the classic three-quarter length portrait.
02 Avoid obstructions
It’s really easy to obstruct your camera lens when
shooting with a rangefinder type digital compact. Most
are positioned to one side of the lens on the top left of
the camera body. In practice, this rarely proves to be a
problem unless you place your fingers over the camera
lens because the rangefinder viewing window won’t
4
FURTHER
INFORMATION
A great way to get better ideas for your photographic projects is to look at some of the annual
awards – professional photography’s version of the Oscars and the Baftas. See the web links
box, below, for some of the prestigious events that take place every year
;
NEXT MONTH
HOW TO SHOOT GREAT
LOCATION PORTRAITS
0 EXPERT TIP
CONCENTRATION AND
PREPARATION
display the glaring error. This problem is more noticeable
with digital compacts because they are smaller in
comparison with their film-based relatives and are
difficult to hold if your hands are on the large side.
03 Exposure problems
Exposure problems most often occur when a
photographer relies solely on automatic exposure
functions rather than careful measurement and manual
adjustments. Too little light will result in a darker than
expected image; too much light will result in overexposure and create a much brighter image than
expected, where detail is blown out and colours are pale
and washy. Over exposure is most frequently caused
when shooting with flash at close range or when faced
with black or darker-toned subject matter. All but the
most severe exposure errors can be corrected in your
image-editing package with the Levels controls.
04 Parallax error
Parallax error results from the slight difference in
position between the viewing lens and the taking lens.
The issue becomes visible when close focusing or
working in macro mode. Instead of capturing the same
composition as seen in the rangefinder viewing window,
the taking lens shoots from a slightly lower vantage
point and to the right. Parallax is not an issue with
digital SLRs because what you see in the viewfinder is
exactly the same image captured by the sensor. On less
ABOVE Exposure is the hardest part of photography
to get right and can be influenced by a host of
factors not apparent at the time of shooting
RIGHT Flare occurs when shooting directly into the
sun without a shade fitted to the lens
* WEB LINKS
advanced compacts, parallax is easily avoided. Use the
LCD preview monitor to frame close-up subjects if your
camera doesn’t have an LCD screen to avoid cropping in
too tightly around the perimeter edges. Compared with
other errors, images shot with parallax can be rescued
by some recomposing in Photoshop, using the Cropping
tool to remove areas that you didn’t account for and the
Clone tool for rebuilding missing parts.
will prevent even the wobbliest posture from spoiling
the shot. Success can also be achieved at lower speeds
such as 1/60th and 1/30th, but only if the
photographer relies on extra support such as leaning
against a wall or another immovable object.
05 Autofocus error
07 Shooting into the light
Like any other automatic process, autofocus has to be
guided by the user and worked within its narrow
limitations. Most digital cameras have a central
autofocus target, which sets the point of focus only on
the object, fixed in the centre of the frame. For most
landscape photos and subjects set at a distance away
from the lens, this will work flawlessly and without
concern, but when focus points are nearer, due care and
attention is needed to succeed. Autofocus needs a clear
area of contrast to work properly and will struggle to
cope with areas of similar tone. In practice this means
you can’t focus well on walls, bright skies and other
areas of flat untextured colour.
The only way to work with this problem is to
recompose and lock-focus on a suitable point in the
same plane. Since many digital compacts have the
autofocus lock function, recomposing is possible without
losing sharpness. Another associated problem is focus
slip when subjects fall outside the central autofocus
target and sharp focus is set by mistake at a point in the
distance – again this can be fixed using AF lock.
Both colour and tonal range can be drastically altered by
the position of the light, with best results occurring when
the sun is behind the photographer. When shooting into
the sun, a common cause of poor quality images is
caused by lens flare. Shaped like a series of overlapping
hexagons or a rush of white light, flare will ruin even the
most carefully composed image.
Digital SLRs and better compact cameras are designed
to use a protective lens shade, which prevents excessive
light from entering the lens on location. With each
lens designed around exacting optical measurements,
it’s essential that only the manufacturer’s recommended
shade is used, rather than a jack-of-all-trades rubber
lens hood.
06 Camera shake
ABOVE Close-up photography can suffer from camera
shake, largely due to uncomfortable posture. This
camera was held firm with a tripod
The best photographers have a
thorough understanding of their
medium and are well prepared to
cope with most eventualities. The
key to improving your strike rate
and making mistakes a thing of the
past is not to rush your picturetaking process. After composing
your shot, spend a couple of
seconds considering the likely
exposure issues caused by lights
and darks within your frame.
Remember that most situations can
easily be dealt with by overriding
your automatic exposure and
focusing functions.
If your images are frequently blurred, it is most likely
caused by camera shake. This occurs when a low a
shutter speed is used and it picks up the photographer’s
body movement during an exposure. This often occurs in
low-light conditions when the autoexposure functions
set a shutter speed to cope with the lack of light. Even
the slightest shakes can’t be rescued by software
sharpening. On fully manual digital compacts and SLRs,
camera shake can be avoided if the shutter speed is
locked on a minimum of 1/125th of a second, as this
WORLD PHOTOGRAPHIC
COMPETITIONS
WORLD PRESS
PHOTO 2003
Check out the results of this year’s
competition, announced to the
world on 14th February.
www.worldpressphoto.nl
PULITZER PRIZE
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Check out the stunning
documentary work by the New York
Times’ staff photographers.
www.pulitzer.org/year/2002/
feature-photography/works
ALFRED EISENSTAEDT
AWARD
View the best photographs taken by
photographers from Life magazine
in 2002.
www.life.com/Life/eisies/
eisies2000/contents.html
08 Blank spaces
Landscape photography can prove a demanding activity
if large empty spaces are left within your compositions.
When faced with the possibility of a blank space, there
are two ways to solve this problem. First and easiest is
to recompose and eliminate the sky by using your zoom
lens at its telephoto setting. Without a large white
expanse of sky influencing your camera metre, detail
will be much more evident in your final print. The
second and more creative way to solve the problem is
to try to fill the void with overhanging foliage.
Much used by landscape and garden photographers,
this technique introduces much needed texture to
the top section of your composition and can force
the viewers attention downward and towards your
primary subject. There’s no need to keep overhangs in
sharp focus, so your intended depth of field should not
be compromised.
@ SEND ’EM IN!
Try out the techniques in this article
then send us your photos. We’ll
print the best each month. Email us
at the following address:
@
[email protected]
081
TECHNIQUE USING YOUR CAMERA
Seeing the world
in macro mode
3
Up close, there’s a parallel world waiting to be discovered by the keen eye of a photographer armed with
a few simple techniques up his sleeve. Tim Daly shows you how to shoot at close range
3 IN DETAIL
PURPOSE-MADE
MACRO LENSES
Professional wildlife photographers
opt for a specialised camera kit
which includes a purpose built
macro lens, specially designed for
ultra close-up work without
producing distortion. Better digital
SLR systems based on the Nikon
and Canon professional bodies can
take advantage of these lenses.
Unlike a mid-range zoom lens fitted
with macro function, these kinds of
professional lenses are fixed focus,
usually around the 50-100mm focal
length and produce images that
can be greatly enlarged without
loss of sharpness. For even greater
magnification an additional bellows
kit can be fitted between camera
body and lens, allowing the subject
to be recorded life size.
ABOVE Interchangeable lenses
like this 50mm Nikon lens
show focusing distance on the
barrel, set against an aperture
scale so you can judge depth
of field at any one aperture
and focal point
FAR RIGHT
This macro image was shot
with a f11 aperture to throw
the background out of focus,
while keeping the foreground
elements sharp
082
M
ost digital compacts have an additional macro
mode function which enables you to set focus
on nearby objects to make them bigger in the
frame. In ordinary shooting modes a conventional midrange zoom lens will not permit the photographer to
achieve sharp focus on anything much below 50cm,
which can be frustrating if your subject is on the small
side. This is where a macro lens comes in.
The wonderful thing about close up photography is
that smaller subjects often reveal details and textures
that are not apparent in normal shooting circumstances,
but in order to capture that, you must remember that
depth of field works differently here. As you get closer
and closer to your subject, the effective depth of field
diminishes rapidly until it’s reduced to a matter of
millimetres, even at maximum f22. If you want to
capture finely detailed images at close range, small
apertures will force you to use much slower shutter
speeds than normal and require the use of a tripod.
Close-up and slow shutter speeds
All close focusing photography is best achieved with a
tripod, as light levels are generally lower in these
scenarios and camera shake can be more of a problem.
A fixed camera position on a tripod will enable you to
experiment and ponder on different compositions as tiny
changes in position can make a significant difference to
the end result. For most users the LCD preview screen
on the rear of a digital camera can provide an excellent
tool for checking composition and comparing different
variations on the subject.
For subjects shot outside on location another potential
problem can be the wind. At such close distances, and
forced to select small apertures such as f16 to ensure
maximum depth of field, the photographer has to use
slow shutter speeds to compensate. Any slight
movement caused even by a gentle wind will make a
blurred result. A practical answer to this is to use a
makeshift windbreak made with a piece of stiff A4
white card which can also double up as a reflector to
bounce extra light onto your subject.
Depth of field
As mentioned, the classic problem with close focusing is
the diminishing depth of field, leaving a zone of sharp
focus typically measured in centimetres rather than
4
FURTHER
INSPIRATION
A cheaper alternative to the specialist macro lens is the screw on or clip-on macro lens filter. Just like a
magnifying glass, they produce a super-close up result in front of most digital compact lenses. The macro
filter must be focused by moving the camera nearer or further away from the subject to achieve sharpness
;
NEXT MONTH
BETTER TRAVEL
PHOTOGRAPHY
BELOW This image was made by scanning in two
separate items: the flower and a sheet of musical
notepaper. After scanning and cutting out in
Photoshop, both images were combined in one
image file and were further enhanced by adding a
drop shadow
ABOVE Armed with simple studio lighting, this still life was shot at very close range to reveal the textures and tones of a seedhead. At this scale a
still life like this uses tiny reflectors the size of playing cards and a background no bigger than a sheet of A4 paper
metres. Even when the lens is set to its minimum
aperture such as f22, little depth will be achieved when
your subject is positioned less than one metre away. At
the opposite end of the aperture scale, a wide aperture
such as f4 may only produce a few millimetres of depth
and will not produce pin-sharp focus across the image
unless all of your subject is lying within a flat plane.
The good news is that choosing the right point of
focus before the shot is taken can enhance depth of
field. In normal shooting mode, the temptation is to
focus on the main subject regardless of how near or far
it is from the camera lens. The depth of field range
extends to one third in front of your subject and two
thirds behind it, so a third of sharp focus is often wasted
in the foreground. The best kind of results are achieved
when a focus point is carefully selected at one third of
the distance from the intended foreground to
background. In principle this sounds impossibly complex,
but better SLR cameras have a depth of field preview
button, which gives a preview of the likely result before
shooting commences anyway.
Lenses and maximum apertures
If you’re thinking about buying a digital SLR, then spend
some time researching the choice of lenses to go with it.
Cheaper macro zoom lenses are convenient but often
have a variable maximum aperture described as
f3.3/4.5. This means that the maximum aperture is
different at the wide-angle end to the telephoto end of
the lens. For special shallow depth of field background
effects, a maximum aperture of f4.5 won’t blur things
out as much as a lens with a wider maximum aperture
such as f2.8 lens will. Both prime and zoom lenses
which open up to f2.8 throughout their entire range are
much more expensive, but will afford greater creative
freedom and enable you to shoot in lower light
conditions in the long run. Prime lenses, such as the
specialist macro or micro, are an excellent choice for
shooting close-up flora and fauna. If you can push the
boat out, opt for an f2.8 mid-range zoom lens which
holds its aperture value throughout the entire range.
Flash close-up
In addition to its contrast-reducing properties, your
camera’s fill-flash can also be used to increase the colour
saturation of nearby subjects shot in macro mode. Fillflash photography will add some much needed sparkle
to colours that would otherwise look washed out in
dreary natural light. When shooting smaller subjects
close up, be watchful for the appearance of dark
shadows that can obscure details and spoil your creative
ideas. Shadows and poor lighting due to restrictions on
your shooting position can easily be blasted away with a
tiny pop of fill flash. On better digital cameras, a further
fill flash setting is also available called the flash
compensation dial. Just like the standard exposure
compensation dial, the flash compensation dial offers
you the chance to fire the flash unit at specific power
such as half power, quarter power or even less. With
each reduction in power, flash will gradually become
much less noticeable, but still reduce domineering
shadows. These settings can be used to reduce the
visual impact of stark flash illumination when mixed with
daylight and if used cautiously, will remove traces of
flash use altogether.
Alternatives to macro lenses
Close-up crops of larger image files can still be made
using your image-editing program. If your camera
doesn’t enable you to shoot at ultra close range, you can
always cut away unwanted areas of your image using
the Cropping tool until a close-up effect is achieved. With
this technique, you’ll have to accept a decrease in the
maximum potential print out size, as a good deal of
pixels will have been discarded in the cropping process.
After editing in this way, ensure that your remaining
smaller image is enhanced by the use of the Unsharp
Mask filter and not over-enlarged or resampled if you
want to retain a degree of sharpness and quality.
Scanner capture
A novel way to capture subjects at close range is to
bypass a camera altogether and use a flatbed scanner.
Remarkably, flatbeds can scan the underneath of most
flattish objects and generate a super high-resolution file
far in excess of the maximum file size achieved by a
digital camera. Most images need careful editing in order
to restore lost colour and contrast. Just like depth of field,
a scanner can create sharp focus on objects which lie
within a plane of about two inches, meaning you can
create a sense of three dimensions rather than a flat
squashed object. Very high-resolution images can be
made this way, provided you have time to clean up your
scans before assembling a final montage. Just like big
budget advertising shoots, similar techniques are used
for a scan and assemble project, where the biggest task
is to make sure all separate elements of the production
look as if they were captured at the same time. Best
objects to scan are those with natural textures, like
leaves and flowers, which can be used in a range of
montage projects.
* WEB LINKS
TESSA TRAEGER
One of the best known advertising
photographers has carved out her
own close-up style.
www.tessatraeger.com/
KODAK
The Kodak guide to close-up
photography. Read up on the
advanced theories of shooting in
macro mode.
www.kodak.com/global/en/
consumer/pictureTaking/
closeUps/closUpsMain.shtml
NEW YORK INSTITUTE
OF PHOTOGRAPHY
Tips on shooting better flower
photographs from the New York
Institute of Photography.
www.nyip.com/tips/topic_
flowers0400.html
Patterns of nature
Best shot in the great gardens and horticultural
collections open to the public, natural subjects can be as
fascinating as an undiscovered world. Search for
intricately structured tropical specimens, or delicate and
ephemeral flowers, and choose only the most perfect
example to photograph. Plants can be architectural with
complex interlocking structures waiting to be investigated
or they can be part of a more complex overall pattern. If
rules allow, don’t be afraid to organise and arrange
slightly imperfect situations for the camera, or carry a
range of handy props with you.
@ SEND ’EM IN!
Try out the techniques in this article
then send us your photos. We’ll
print the best each month. Email us
at the following address:
@
[email protected]
083
PHOTO HELP Q&A
YOUR GUIDE AIDAN O’ROURKE
Aidan O’Rourke is a freelance photographer who’s worked with digital imaging
and photography since 1994. He created ‘Eyewitness in Manchester’ (part of
Manchester Online, the Manchester Evening News website), the largest online
source of photo and info about Manchester. See the URL opposite for more
details on Aidan’s digital photography seminars around the country
[email protected] (camera queries only)
WEBSITE www.aidan.co.uk/seminars
All your camera
questions answered
Send all your technical questions to Aidan at [email protected] and he’ll do his best to help…
2
2
QUESTIONS
ANSWERED
CAMERA USE
DOWNLOADING PHOTOS
EXPOSURE COMPENSATION
DIFFUSION EFFECTS
FLASHGUNS
CAMERA TO TV
PORTRAIT PHOTOS
IMAGE EDITING
PAINT SHOP PRO 5
EMAILING FILES
RESAMPLING PHOTOS
PRINTERS
PRINTER PROBLEMS
INKJET OR LASER?
MEDIA
WEBSITE
BOOK
084
084/085
085
085
085
086
085
087
087
087
087
085/087
087
MAKING CD COPIES
2 EXPOSURE CONTROL
The following pictures need exposure compensation. We show you how…
IMAGE MANAGEMENT
■■ INTERMEDIATE
I am using an HP Pavilion 877
with Windows Me. I am
downloading images from my FujiFilm
FinePix 2400 Zoom and Kodak DC280
Zoom via a card reader to my PC and
then burning the photos on to CD-R.
This works OK but I have to transfer
each image separately and this is very
time-consuming. Can you tell me how
to transfer the contents of each
compact flash or smart card onto CD-R
in one command operation?
Secondly, I need some help with
Paint Shop Pro 5. Can you please tell
me where to find a book or manual?
Ralph Holdom
Q
You don’t have to transfer each
file separately. CD writing
software is configured to enable you
to burn files and directories from your
PC’s hard drive directly to on to a CD.
Study the manual or on-screen help
for the software you are using and
find out how to transfer directories
and their contents to CD. Normally it’s
just a question of selecting the
folders to be transferred then
dragging and dropping – the CD
burning software does the rest. Each
CD can accommodate around 650MB
of data, so to make best use of the
space on your CDs you should build
This photo of the M56 was taken just
before dusk. The camera has exposed
for the mid tones in the centre of the
photo, leaving the sky burnt out.
Overall the picture is too bright. The
exposure was 1/13th second at F2.5.
Adjusting the exposure control to
around minus 1.6 has given a darker
picture, giving a truer representation
of the lighting conditions, with
plenty of detail in the clouds. The
exposure was 1/43rd second at F2.5.
This capture of the mills in Ancoats
Manchester was made at the standard
exposure settings and has turned out
too light – the sky has burnt out to
white – the colour of the brickwork
has not been rendered accurately.
Adjusting the EV control to minus 0.7
has given us an exposure of 1/179th
of a second at F4.4. The tones are
more accurate, but the sky is still a
problem – completely white and
lacking any detail.
Further adjusting the EV control to
minus 1 is now giving us an
exposure of 1/173rd of a second at
F4.9 – some detail has appeared in
the sky, but it is still at the top of the
scale and is not clearly visible.
I have ‘cheated’ and added a
graduated fill to the previous exposure
in Photoshop. The effect is similar to a
neutral filter in front of the lens. The
sky appears grey and moody – a much
more accurate portrayal of the scene.
A
Photo
Help
084
8
ONLINE PHOTO RESOURCE REVIEW
www.designer-info.com
Content Website by Scottish-based Tom Arah, with detailed
articles on all aspects of DTP, photo-editing, vector drawing
and web design. Useful reviews and tutorials on a wide
up around 600MB of material, then
transfer it to CD in one go.
As for Paint Shop Pro, I checked at
my local bookshop and found plenty
of books on Photoshop, but none on
Paint Shop Pro. There are some titles
available on Amazon.co.uk including
an older one on Paint Shop Pro 5.
2
CAMERA CONTROLS
CAMERA USE
■■ INTERMEDIATE
I have a Sony Cyber-shot. Can
you tell me what +2/-2EV means
and how and when I might want to use
this feature?
Bill McClean
Q
This is exposure compensation.
The camera’s built-in light
meter measures the amount of light
hitting the camera’s sensor and
makes adjustments to shutter speed
and aperture – aperture refers to the
iris-like device in the lens which
opens and closes, increasing or
decreasing the amount of light
entering the camera. EV is a
measurement of brightness.
Shutter speed and aperture are
balanced against each other – a
longer shutter speed requires a
smaller aperture – a larger aperture
requires a faster shutter speed.
Sometimes we need to override the
auto-exposure settings and force the
camera to allow less or more light
into the camera. This is when we use
the exposure compensation control.
The photographs (left) illustrate
some examples of exposure control
in action.
A
2
DIFFUSION EFFECTS
IMAGE EDITING
■■ INTERMEDIATE
How do I get that fuzzy-edged
Q romantic look you see in so
many wedding shots?
Steven Pritchard
That fuzzy-edged look is a
diffusion effect traditionally
made using a filter attached to the
camera lens. In the 17th century the
painter Corot used a similar effect in
his landscape paintings. In the 1930s
movie directors enhanced the
appearance of leading ladies by using
diffusing filters, smearing gel over a
clear filter or tying a stocking over
the lens. In the Seventies filmmakers
and photographers such as David
Hamilton used it to create an
impressionistic or nostalgic effect.
This effect can be simulated using an
image editing program like
Photoshop or Paint Shop Pro. Used
carefully on the right type of image
this effect can transform a picture
into something quite sublime.
Experiment with different levels of
blur and opacity, but don’t overdo it!
See box (right) for further info.
A
range of software packages. On the home page you’ll find
features on CorelDraw, Photoshop Album, Elements, photo
filters and more. A shining example of individual initiative
and creativity, www.designer-info.com deserves to be
supported and appreciated.
2 IMAGE DIFFUSION
Photographers through the ages have used all kinds of methods
to create the soft-focussed, romantic “fuzzy effect”…
This silhouette of trees on Alderley
Edge in Cheshire provides us with
some good subject on which to
experiment with image diffusion –
the ‘fuzzy’ effect.
First we create a duplicate of the
background layer of this image. In
the Layers palette, drag the layer to
the ‘New Layer’ symbol (indicated by
the red arrow).
Now we apply a Gaussian Blur to the
upper layer. You can set a wider
radius, such as 8.5, or a narrower one
– say 3 or 4. The effect is the same as
defocusing the lens: the light is spread
over neighbouring pixels.
Finally we reduce the opacity of the
layer to around 66% – layer opacity
control is in the upper right corner of
the Layers palette. The resulting
picture combines the sharp original
image with the defocused one.
2
ACCESSORIES
CAMERA KIT
■■ INTERMEDIATE
Could you advise me which
flashgun would be suitable for a
FujiFilm FinePix 6900 Zoom?
Doug Mills
Q
The FujiFilm FinePix 6900 Zoom
has a hotshoe and can be
operated using manually set aperture
and shutter speed. This means that
you can use any flashgun. Just
connect the flash to the camera using
the hotshoe, or an adaptor.
Most flashguns can be set for a
certain aperture, say 5.6. The
flashgun measures the distance of
the subject from the flash and adjusts
the intensity so just the right amount
of light is discharged. If the subject is
closer, the intensity will be reduced.
If the subject is further away, the
flash will fire at a higher power. As
long as the camera is set to the same
aperture the light should be about
right. If the flash is still too bright,
you can manually adjust the aperture
A
so it’s slightly smaller, e.g. F8. By the
way, the shutter speed should make
no difference to the flash as long as
it’s not faster than 1/125th of a
second. At slower shutter speeds the
background will become more visible
as more and more available light is
allowed to enter the camera.
2
TV CONNECTION
IMAGE MANAGEMENT
■ BEGINNER
Q
I have just recently bought my
first digital camera, the Nikon
CoolPix 775 and just taken my first
photos with it. One of the options I was
trying out was to display the images
captured by the camera on my TV
screen after the shoot. I followed the
instructions given but nothing appeared
on the screen. When I select the play
mode on the camera to view previously
taken photos without the TV/Video
adaptor lead plugged in then it’s fine
and I can view the past photos. But as
soon as I plug in the lead that connects
to the TV it seems that the camera
switches off.
Does you have any advice on this or
am I doing anything wrong?
Stephen McGonagle
?
EXPLAINED
K IN CMYK
K in CMYK – Cyan Magenta Yellow
and... K, last letter of blacK. CMYK
are the colours of the inks used
in printing.
LZW
Lempel-Zif-Welch – a form of data
compression used in image file
formats TIFF and GIF. Developed by
J. Ziv and A Lempel around 1977
and later refined by Dave Welch.
085
PHOTO HELP Q&A
8
MANUFACTURER SITE
www.hewlett-packard.com
Content: A vast store of information on the Palo Alto-based
technology giant which merged with Compaq in May last
year. Info on the Photosmart series of digital cameras is
When it comes to sorting out
problems such as this you need
to develop the powers of a high-tech
Sherlock Holmes. Inference, logic,
elimination of possibilities, and a
touch of intuition all play a role in
solving the problem.
Now there is something in the
third sentence of your message which
arouses my curiosity: “Nothing
appeared on the screen”. You then
say that the pictures appear on the
camera screen with the cable
unplugged, but when you plug it in
the camera switches itself off. What I
believe is happening is that you’ve
failed to set the channel on the TV to
the AV input.
Look on the remote control and
find the button which switches the
input from normal channels to AV
input. I think you’ll find that with a
couple of presses of the button the
pictures will appear. It’s rather like
‘tuning’ the TV to the camera. When
the cable is plugged into the camera,
it doesn’t switch itself off. The LCD is
turned off to save power while you’re
viewing the photos on the TV screen.
about three clicks from the home page. Discover the history
of the company founded by Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard
in 1939, and their first product, an audio oscillator used by
Disney. Their first camera was a polaroid-backed
oscilloscope camera made in 1962.
as a first time user with Photoshop and
colour control and an Epson 875DC
printer. A problem I am faced with
presently is the banding that occurs,
particularly on colour prints. It has
appeared on black-and-white prints but
not on the last ones I made. I have tried
cleaning the nozzles but nothing seems
to do the trick. Can you give
me a possible explanation for its
appearance and persistence? And
can you offer a solution?
We have also been offered a laser
printer, by someone who has no more
use for it. Someone has told me that
they are expensive to run. Are they an
improvement on ink-jet printers?
John Norman
A
; READ ON
PHOTOSHOP ELEMENTS
FOR DUMMIES
Published by
Price
Written by
Buy from
John Wiley & Sons
£18.99
Deke mcClelland
Waterstones
Verdict You don’t have to be a
dummy to benefit from this
entertaining and informative
book on Photoshop Elements,
part of the highly successful
‘For Dummies’ series. Useful
explanations avoiding use of
jargon, plus tips, tricks and
lots more.
086
2
FILE SIZE
IMAGE MANAGEMENT
■ BEGINNER
I seem to have a block in my
understanding of saving a file so
it’s small enough to email and doesn’t
take all day to send.
Could you tell me in simple terms
how to place the image into Photoshop
and then make it small enough to
email without losing the detail?
Fiona Bridgland
Q
Image size is one of the most
important and most
misunderstood concepts in digital
photography. Images from today’s
digital cameras are generally large in
size, and we usually need to scale
them down to suit various uses, such
as sending via the internet, printing
and viewing on-screen.
A
This illustration compares a standard size larger image suitable for printing at A4 size with its
smaller size equivalent suitable for a web page or for emailing. To create the smaller size image we
can use the ‘Resample’ function of image-editing software, or ‘Create web gallery’ in an image
When resizing for the web you
must do two things – rewrite the file
so it has smaller pixel dimensions,
and resave the file using a greater
amount of JPEG compression. A
typical size for a digital image file is
2,048 x 1,536 pixels – that’s a total of
around three million pixels, nine
million bytes of information four
times the area of a standard
computer screen (1,024 x 768). On
disk at JPEG max it comes out at
around 1MB, needing many minutes
to transfer using a 56k modem.
For web and email we need to
reduce the dimensions so the file will
fit inside a standard computer screen
or browser window. 500 x 375 is a
good size as it takes up roughly a
quarter of a standard computer
screen, and comes on a small disk.
Here’s how to resample a photo in
Photoshop or Elements. First we go to
Image8Size – find width or height
2048 and change this to 500 – make
sure the checkbox ‘Resample’ is
checked. Now the file has been
rewritten in the new dimensions,
some of the picture information has
been discarded – it’s about a quarter
the size it was.
Now go to Save As or Save for
Web. Select JPEG high or JPEG
medium. The file size should come
out at anything between 40 to 60 k.
That’s it – you’re now ready to email
the file!
But there’s an easier way that’s
especially useful if you have lots of
files. Simply use the ‘Make web
gallery’ feature of your image
organisation program. It will make a
web gallery consisting of smaller size
images and thumbnails, together
with the web pages to display them.
Select the image size to maximum
500 pixels width or height and create
the gallery. The smaller size image
files will be in one of the web gallery
folders. The image files will all be
correctly sized and ready for transfer
to the web gallery, but if you want to,
you can open up the folder and select
one or more of these files for viewing
or emailing.
2
PRINTER PROBLEMS
PRINTER
■■ INTERMEDIATE
I recently bought a Nikon Coolpix
5700 and was quite startled by
the sharpness of the picture I’m getting
on an 8 x 10. However, I’m struggling
Q
Banding, by which you mean
the appearance of lines along
the direction of print, usually happens
on inkjet printers because of clogged
nozzles. I have encountered this
problem many times and usually the
way to solve it is to run the head
cleaning utility and then check that
all the nozzles are free. Sometimes
the nozzles aren’t printing properly
because of a broken electrical
contact. Use of non-manufacturer
print cartridges can result in this
effect. Often I find that buying new
print cartridges can solve the
problem. Perhaps the printer driver
software doesn’t match the printer or
operating system. In principle, if you
have a standard operating system,
imaging software, printer driver and a
correctly configured and connected
printer with fully functioning
cartridges, then you should get
perfect results.
Inkjet printers have been
developed to a high degree of
sophistication, especially in the
printing of photographic images –
laser printers just don’t match the
quality, detail and colour fidelity of
inkjets, so I wouldn’t recommend that
option for printing photos. Ultimately
it may be more cost-effective to buy
a new inkjet printer. They’re
extremely good value and are
improving all the time.
A
4
FURTHER
INFORMATION
Jaggies is the common name for pixels that are visible along diagonal
lines. They are caused by lower resolution images being displayed too
large, causing the pixels to be visible to the naked eye
EMAIL AIDAN! Send your digital photography queries to Aidan at [email protected] This email address is for technical problems only. See page 03 page for other problems
2 OBLIQUE ANGLE ON...
V TECH FOCUS
Taking professional quality portrait photos
Today’s digital cameras are amazing
pieces of technology. And yet they’re
so compact and unassuming, it’s
quite possible to underestimate
their capabilities.
You may think that a sub-£500
compact digital camera is great for
general photography and family snaps,
but for serious portrait work you still
need something bigger and and more
SUPER CCD SR
powerful, plus a fully equipped portrait
studio with flash and backgrounds,
preferably in a fashionable part of
London. Not so!
The very power and versatility of
the contemporary digital camera
makes it possible to achieve
extraordinary results with the most
basic of lighting and props. Any shots
you take can be instantly previewed
The first set of captures was made outside
Stephanie’s home in afternoon light. The camera
was mounted on a tripod. Unfortunately the light
was too low – and Steph was uncomfortable in
the cold temperature – so one look at this set of
photos, and we decided to reject them and try
shooting indoors
via the LCD or your PC, enabling you
to retake images as necessary.
This is how I came up with this
portrait photograph of actress
Stephanie Bishop, taken for her listing
in Spotlight, the actor’s directory. The
photo is the result of trial and error,
improvisation, discussion, and a lot of
patience but the end result is very
professional. The lighting was the 60
The next set of photos was made in the living room –
a more relaxed environment – and warmer! For a
background I used my velvety jacket. Spread over
the back of the armchair, it makes an area of pure
black with no reflections. We held a table lamp with
60W bulb above and to the left of the subject. There
was also a ceiling light above and to the right.
watt bulb of a domestic table lamp,
plus ambient lighting in the room. The
backdrop was my velvety jacket which
I’d bought in the sales earlier in the
week. I used a FujiFilm FinePix F601,
for the shoot with a tripod. The studio
was the front room of her house.
Take a look at the walkthrough to
find out the process we went through
to achieve this shot.
The results were good. Looking at the photos
displayed in Photoshop’s File Browser we
selected the one with the most neutral
expression. The camera was orientated
horizontally, requiring the image to be closely
cropped around the face to give an image in
portrait or vertical orientation, aspect ratio 4:3.
Digital sensor development hasn’t
concentrated solely on cramming
more and more photosensors into a
smaller area – Fujifilm is taking CCD
development in a new direction.
The Fujifilm Fourth Generation
Super CCD SR is a new type of
sensor. At each of the 3.1 million
photosites, you’ll find not one but
two photodiodes – a larger one of
standard sensitivity (S), and just
above it a smaller one of reduced
sensitivity (R). It’s a bit like taking
two photographs at the same time –
one at normal exposure and one
underexposed. The two sets of data
are then combined to produce an
image with much greater detail both
in the highlights and the shadows.
There are two types of lighting
conditions which tend to produce
burnt out highlights – bright
sunshine (where the difference
between bright and dark areas may
be too much for the sensor to
handle) and when using flash –
even set to the camera’s own
exposure metering, facial highlights
burn out to an unflattering shiny
white. This new CCD effectively takes
you photos at different exposures
and should deliver an image in
which the highlights retain their
detail and tonal values, but where
the mid and darker tones are also
correctly exposed. The first two
camera to feature the new
technology will be the FinePix
F700 and FinePix F410 Zoom.
A digital cameras would have
difficulty with this. I’ve exposed for
the top half by aiming the camera
high, pressing the shutter gently
then aiming at the centre.
We‘ve made a black and
white version by changing
the file to greyscale. The
resulting photo is the best
yet, but we’re still not
happy. Steph still doesn’t
look relaxed and there’s
tension around the mouth.
Secondly, as we’ve cropped
over half the picture there
won’t be enough detail for
an A4 size print out.
Third time lucky as we are now onto our third
set of captures. For this shoot I’ve oriented the
camera vertically, and selected the highest
setting of 6 million pixels (2,832 x 2,128). These
are the results. Studying the various captures,
we selected the first one, in which Steph had a
neutral and relaxed expression.
All our work and patience
has finally paid off! Steph
looks relaxed and natural in
this image and the camera
has given us some fantastic
detail. The auto white
balance adjustment, for
tungsten light, has given us
natural skin tones and the
pure black background looks
great – you’d never know it
was a jacket.
Finally we changed the file to greyscale. This file
will print up to A4 size so can be supplied on
disk for inclusion on the Spotlight website and in
the directory.
Exposed for the foreground, details
have again burnt out. The Fuji 4th
Generation Super CCD SR, however,
would be able to capture both parts
of this picture accurately.
087
SECTION #04
USING YOUR PC
IMAGE FILES TYPES
SEE PAGE 90
PAGE
PAGE
90
92
YOUR PC
USING YOUR PC
IMAGE FILE TYPES
Joe Cassels explains how to convert your photos
from one file type to another to suit your needs
PAGE
ONLINE TUTORIAL
FREEWARE IMAGE EDITING
Can’t afford Photoshop or Paint Shop Pro? You can
still get the basic tools from online shareware
PAGE
PRINT TECHNIQUES
WATERCOLOUR PAPER
Using artist’s paper instead of the usual glossy
alternative can lead to interesting results
PAGE
PAGE
94
PC & internet
Using a PC to make the most of your digital photos
f
Our aim is to bring you creative ideas, expert tips and
quick fixes you can use in your own work.
Authoritative A leading professional in his/her field
writes every tutorial. Value-added We try to include
Contact our Reviews team
image files, and full or trial software so you can try the
tutorial for yourself, delivering a complete package.
Clear Our large page size means we can add extra
elements, explanations and detail to each tutorial.
#
If you have a comment about our reviews, or a product
you would like us to test, please email us at
[email protected] Visit our website at
www.dcmag.co.uk for reader verdicts
90
92
94
TUTORIAL USING YOUR PC
YOUR GUIDE JOE CASSELS
Joe Cassels writes regular tutorials for a wide range of computer magazines. He
is an enthusiastic digital photographer with a track record of helping many
people get more from their PCs
[email protected]
PORTFOLIO JOE CASSELS
Understanding file
types and associations
You can save your photos in various file formats. Joe Cassels explains the difference between bitmaps,
JPEGS, and TIFFS and how to convert one to another to suit your needs
D
ifferent types of picture file have evolved
along with the need to store or transport
images effectively without harming their
quality. Digital cameras often take photos in either
bitmap (BMP) form or as JPEGs. Some cameras use a
proprietary file system, but they should come with
suitable conversion software – otherwise sharing the
images would be difficult. Bitmaps are high-quality
images of large file size. However, not very many will fit
onto your camera’s storage media, which is why many
cameras take JPEG files by default. JPEGs are compressed
images where some detail is lost in the name of
TUTORIAL
KEY DETAILS
2
SKILL LEVEL
2
2
?
TIME TO COMPLETE
20
MINUTES
EXPLAINED
producing a more portable image. Other file types offer
different variations on the compression versus detail
equation, but JPEG and bitmap are the ones you are
most likely to encounter.
Compression conundrum
It is possible to control the amount of compression in a
JPEG, but typically they tend to be a third to a quarter
the size of their bitmap counterparts. The less complex
the image, the more it can be compressed without
losing detail. They produce perfectly adequate photos,
but you can see evidence of compression around
PICTURE FILE TYPES
detailed areas at times. Look for the slightly blocky
appearance of JPEG artefacts around curved edges.
If you’ve tried out various picture-handling programs,
you may have noticed that the program that opens
picture files by default has changed. This is known
as a file association and it’s quite common for new
programs to hijack files in this way. It’s straightforward
to change them back, and we’ll do so here.
Finally, you may want to alter file types yourself if, for
example, you want to compress an image to put it on a
website. This is really as simple as opening and resaving
the picture in the new format.
The same picture of a flower, saved as
three different image file types…
GIF IMAGE FILE
The Graphics Interchange Format,
used by the World Wide Web,
CompuServe and many BBSs. GIF
supports color and various
resolutions and includes data
compression but is more effective
for scanned images rather than
colour photos.
8
8
PNG IMAGE FILE
The Portable Network Graphics,
(PNG) format was developed as a
patent-free answer to the GIF
format. An image in a lossless
PNG file can be 5%-25% more
compressed than a GIF file of the
same image. Saving, restoring and
re-saving a PNG image will not
degrade its quality but unlike GOF
PNG does not support animation.
090
01
BITMAP IMAGES
Bitmap files can be created for any kind of
image. The file is composed of information
for each pixel in the image, describing its individual
position and colour. In a photo, this creates a huge
amount of data, which is why bitmap photos are
huge files.
02
JPEG IMAGES
Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) files
are compressed. They take up much less
memory than bitmaps because detail is lost as the
picture is compressed. Higher levels of compression
result in less detailed pictures. However, JPEGs usually
make acceptable photographs.
03
TIFF IMAGES
Tagged Image File Format (TIFF) files can
be compressed using a lossless formula.
This means that data is not lost when the files are
made smaller. This makes TIFF a popular choice for
publishing because you get smaller files than bitmaps,
but quality is maintained.
4
MORE
INFORMATION
CHANGING FILE ASSOCIATIONS
Newsgroup microsoft.public.windowsxp.photos
Book How to do everything with Windows XP, Curt Simmons, McGraw-Hill
Windows version 98/Me/XP
What to do if your files are opening
with the wrong program
0
EXPERT TIP
JOE CASSELS
WINDOWS EXPERT
PHOTO ARCHIVING
Choose the file type according to
the use you will put your photo
to. Bitmaps and TIFFs offer very
high quality images, but are big
files. You might use these for
professional images. JPEGs make
perfectly acceptable photos for
general use, providing the
compression isn’t too high.
01
FOLDER OPTIONS
02
File associations are quite easy to alter in
Windows XP and Me. Either right click a file
of the type you want to alter, choose Properties and
click Change or select Folder Options from the Tools
menu of Windows Explorer. Select the File Types tab.
SELECT THE FILE TYPE
03
If you take the latter option, scroll through
the file types and find the one you want to
change. Highlight it, click Change and select the
program you want to use with this file type by
default. (Click Browse to locate the program file).
CONFIRM THE PROGRAM
Click OK to return to the previous dialog and
Close to confirm the change. If you ever
need to change the association back, return to Folder
Options, Choose the File Types tab and click Restore.
The original association will then return.
? EXPLAINED
LOSSY COMPRESSION
Lossy compression is where
carefully selected data is lost. For
example the JPEG compression
standard creates blocks of colour
to replace individual pixels. When
greatly compressed, pictures show
JPEG artefacts, which is where
some of these blocks are
noticeable in the image. Loss less
compression removes no data
from the image.
04
WINDOWS 98
05
File associations are a little different in
Windows 98. Open My Computer and
choose View8Folder Options8File Types. Scroll down
the list until you find the file type that you want to
change. Highlight it and click Edit.
CHANGE THE ICON
06
Click Change Icon to alter the icon that
indicates this file type. Choose an icon from
the list provided and click OK. Under Actions, click
Open and choose Edit. You can now specify the
program that you want to use.
CONVERTING FILES
CHOOSE THE PROGRAM
In the following dialog, click Browse. Locate
the program’s executable file and click
Open. Click OK twice to confirm this change. Check
that the file type and program are correct before
clicking OK again. The associations should be changed.
How to use Microsoft Paint to convert
pictures from one file type to another
8
8
* WEB LINKS
Microsoft
www.microsoft.com/windowsxp
/default.asp
01
OPEN PAINT
Prior to Windows XP, Paint only supported
bitmap files, but the XP version enables you
to convert between the most popular image files. Click
Start8All Programs8Accessories8 Paint. Choose File8
Open and browse to the photo you want.
02
SAVE IT AGAIN
Highlight the picture you want and click
Open. You may need to resize the window
to fit it all in. To change the file type, save the image
again using the new format. Click File Save As so you
can save a new version of the file.
03
CHOOSE THE FILE TYPE
In the Save As dialog, choose the file type
from the Save as type drop-down list. Not
all picture formats are supported, but TIFFs, GIFs, JPEGs
and PNG files are, as well as bitmaps. Click Save to
create the new file.
091
TUTORIAL USING YOUR PC
YOUR GUIDE JOE CASSELS
Joe Cassels writes regular tutorials for a wide range of computer magazines. He
is an enthusiastic digital photographer with a track record of helping many
people get more from their PCs
[email protected]
PORTFOLIO JOE CASSELS
Your digital photo toolkit
at your fingertips
You don’t have to shell out lots of money to get hold of some decent image-editing tools. Joe Cassels
plucks the best freeware and shareware image-managing tools from the web for your convenience
TUTORIAL
KEY DETAILS
2
SKILL LEVEL
2
2
2
T
here may be no such thing as a free lunch,
but you’ll be surprised what you can get for
free when it comes to digital photo software,
thanks to the wide availability of freeware and
shareware program on the web. Freeware is, as its
name suggests, completely free to use, while shareware
applications are usually provided on a try now, pay later
basis and may have limited functionality or a time limit.
Before running any freeware or shareware we
suggest you run a virus checker on the program first.
Downloadable applications can also contain trojan horses
or spyware – types of virus that trigger at a particular
time and can share the contents of your PC with the
world. Spyware is sneakier, as it transmits info about
your internet habits to its master.
However there is plenty of good, healthy freeware to
be had and we’ve trawled through the web to put
together a toolkit of exciting applications to help you get
more from your digital photographs. If you can’t afford
Paint Shop Pro, fret not, we’ve included two excellent,
yet free image editors in the shape of Futuris Imager
and Pixia. Both offer outstanding features for the lowest
price around: that is, absolutely nothing.
Resizing and converting images from one format to
This free image viewer has features that rival many commercial
equivalents. Get your copy at http://download.com
FUTURIS IMAGER
8
01
FIND IMAGES
Install and launch Futuris Imager. Choose
File8Open to browse for some picture files.
Once you are in a folder of photos, select one of the
pictures and click Open. You can alter the type of files
to view using the drop down list. Most picture file
types are supported.
092
another can be a frustrating and slow business.
However, CropIt, Stream Action and Mihov Image
Resizer can achieve different conversions with multiple
files, saving you endless amounts of time. If you have
Windows 95/98 or Me and envy XP’s photomanagement, try Photos Manager, which offers similar
functions. JPG Cleaner optimises files while Red Eye gets
rid of that perennial problem. Finally, try being creative
with Centarsia, which turns photos into mosaics.
With all this software out there online, you can save
yourself a lot of money. Perhaps there is such a thing as
a free lunch after all…
02
8
THE MAIN VIEWER
The picture opens in the main viewer. Use
the forward and back arrows to scroll
through the folder contents. TWAIN capture from
cameras and scanners is supported, as are images
from web cams. The Go menu offers file management
tools, like copy, move, delete and thumbnails.
03
FILTERS AND EFFECTS
The filters button has a tool kit icon. Click it
to see a menu of supported filters. Double
click a filter to apply it. Options include colour
inversion for a negative effect, mirror image, rotate,
resize and greyscale. The Restore Original button
removes any filters you have used.
NINE KILLER APPLICATIONS
Try these free programs to get the best from your
portfolio of pictures
? EXPLAINED
SPYWARE
Spyware is software that has a
useful purpose but includes code
designed to snoop on your online
practices. Not only does it cause
your internet connection to under
perform, but there are serious
implications for your privacy at
stake here.
01
RED EYE REMOVER
Name Red Eye Publisher JDM Cox Software
02
Status full and free Info www.jdmcox.com
Remove red eye without creating false eyes or
applying colour on top of your photo. Simply select
the eye in question and reduce the red hue using a
slide control. Then re-save the picture, minus red eye.
04
IMAGE CONVERTOR
Name MiHov Image Resizer Publisher Miha’s
Mihov Image Resizer converts files between JPEGs,
GIFs and bitmaps and resizes your images quickly
into instant thumbnail copies.
Name JPG Cleaner Publisher Rainbow Status
03
full and free Info http://rainbow.ht.st
JPG Cleaner removes excess data from JPEG files that’s
often added by photo editing software. Unzip the zip
archive and launch JPGCLN95.exe. Click Add files and
open the file you want to clean. Click Start.
05
Utilities Status full and free Info http://
freeware.mihov.com
FILE OPTIMISER
BATCH IMAGE CONVERTER/EDITOR
Name Stream Action Publisher fCoder Status
Name Pixia Publisher Tacmi Co, Ltd Status full
and free Info www.tacmi.co.jp/pixia
A highly impressive image editor, offering multiple
undo, multiple layer support and many other features
that commercial programs boast. It has a similar feel
to Paint Shop Pro so install it and try it out!
06
Free Beta software Info www.fcoder.com
Stream Action converts multiple image files by
resizing or re-formatting. Operations are designed to
suit common tasks, such as changing files into
thumbnails for web pages or optimising for printing.
IMAGE EDITOR
STAMP YOUR IMAGES
Name Picture Shark Publisher Picture Shark
Status free shareware, registration is strongly
encouraged Info www.picture-shark.com
Want to publish your photos online, but worry about
rip-off merchants? Picture Shark lets you stamp all
your pictures with your chosen piece of artwork.
0
EXPERT TIP
JOE CASSELS
PC EXPERT
DOWNLOADING
07
MOSAIC MAKER
Name Centarsia Publisher Alhena Design
Status Postcard ware Info www.alhena-
08
PICTURE INDEXER
Name Photos Manager Publisher Pieter H
Henning Status 30-day trial Info
design.com/centarsia
www.showyourphotos.net
To make this picture choose File8 Open Master
Image8Commands8Run Mosaic. To use your own
choose Tools8Open Queue Manager and add files.
An alternative interface for photo management. Use
the folder tree in the left-hand pane to select a folder
of pictures then organise your shots.
09
PHOTO RESIZER
Name CropIt Publisher Entry-Soft
Status full and free Info www.entrysoft.com
Crop it provides a quick and easy way to resize your
pictures ready for a print service. It offers you a 3x2
template showing you the aspect ratio that print
services use. Move the template and crop the picture.
If you've caught the free
software bug, try heading to
www.download.com. You can
search for different programs by
keyword and then narrow the
search to show you only
freeware. It's a good idea to read
some user comments before
downloading any program.
Remember if you install any of
these programs, you do so at
your own risk.
093
MAKING PRINTS ON WATERCOLOUR PAPER
4
TECHNIQUE
FURTHER
INFORMATION
Try WWW.adobe.com/
support/techguides/color/
main.htm for helpful tips
YOUR GUIDE TIM DALY
Tim has written several books on photography including The Digital Photography Handbook, The
Digital Printing Handbook and The Desktop Photographer, and he continues to write for The
British Journal of Photography and AG. His photographs have been exhibited across Europe
[email protected]
Making prints on
watercolour paper
If you wish there was more to life than matt and glossy inkjet paper, try artist’s paper instead. Tim Daly takes you on a watercolour challenge
0
EXPERT TIP
TIM DALY
COLOUR PROFILES
INKJET ART PAPERS
Inkjet art media offer a more tactile
finish, like traditional artist’s
watercolour paper. Best brands to try
are Somerset and Lyson, since both
have been carefully designed to
reproduce fine detail and high colour
saturation with an alluring texture.
Very heavy weights up to 300 gsm
can be used for exhibition printing.
* WEB LINKS
I
t’s essential to realise at the earliest stage
that cotton or wood pulp watercolour papers
designed for artists’ use will react very
differently to glossy inkjet paper. Art papers are much
more absorbent than conventional inkjet media and as
a consequence, are much less reflective too. After
making your initial test prints, you’ll notice that your
results will look oddly dark and have a much less
saturated range of colours compared to a monitor
image. Due to the open weave and texture of many
paper materials, high-resolution files with pin-sharp
detail will not reproduce well and contrast will be flat
and muddy. Bought in a single sheet or as part of a
sketchblock, watercolour papers can be unpredictable
but produce a wonderful textured result that is a
perfect cross over between painting and photograph.
Each kind of art paper has its own base colour
ranging from ivory, through to cream and even salmon
pinks. Inkjet printers are never equipped with white
printing ink, so it’s important to recognise that this
base colour of your watercolour paper will become the
maximum highlight colour and value in your final print.
Most heavyweight art papers are made well beyond
a typical inkjet printer’s maximum media thickness
limit of around 300 gsm. If you have an Epson Photo
printer, move the tension lever (under the printer lid)
from ‘0’ to ‘+’, to accommodate thicker material, but
check your instruction guide before attempting
anything close to the limit. Paper misfeeds are a
common problem with art paper but can be prevented
by using the printer’s Form Feed command which pull
your sheet of paper into position before you print.
VINTAGE PRINTING
Just like ancient photographic processes such as
platinum and gum bichromate printing, art papers
can take digital photography into another era
Many hardware and software
manufacturers offer online advice
on how to cope with colour
management problems as follows:
PAPERCHASE
www.paperchase.co.uk
Good paper supplies can be sourced
at most High Street branches of
this famous stationers.
SILVERPRINT
An Aladdin’s cave for professional
photographers and inkjet printing
enthusiasts. Five minutes walk from
Waterloo station or mail order from:
www.silverprint.co.uk
KATE’S PAPERIE
www.katespaperie.com
Next time you are in New York,
Kate’s Paperie has probably the
biggest selection of hand made
paper in the world.
094
01
FILE PREPARATION
As so much fine detail will be
lost in print, it’s not essential
to have ultra high-resolution image files
to print from. Art papers can’t cope with
more than 720 per dots of ink per inch
and many look better printed with the
draft quality 360 mode. When ink dots
hit the paper they spread out like ink on
blotting paper, so don’t prepare images
above 150ppi resolution – they stand
less chance of turning out waterlogged.
02
BRIGHTNESS
AND COLOUR
Ignore your monitor and
make your image much brighter than
normal to counteract merging midtones.
Do this in Photoshop by moving the
Levels midtone slider to the left. This
command should be further increased if
you print on cream paper. To save colour
saturation, use the Hue/Saturation
dialog to bump up the colours and
move the Saturation slider by +20.
03
SETTING UP THE
PRINTER SOFTWARE
Start testing your paper with
a series of test prints, using Plain Paper
as your selected media type. Try
increasing the printer resolution steadily
from 360 to 720 dpi and keep a note
of all your settings and save the best
combination of resolution, media type
and colour balance as a Save Settings
file to replay over future prints on the
same paper.
04
JUDGING YOUR
END RESULTS
It’s most likely that your
results will look muddy and dull, but
don’t despair! This is easily corrected by
returning to Photoshop and making a
brighter Levels adjustment. Try printing
it again and remember that very thin
media such as Conqueror writing
papers will only accept a small-scale
print before buckling under the weight
of the fluid.
On your discs
>
Now you have a choice of two CDs or a DVD every month! Here’s what we have lined up…
This April…
I
DEMO SOFTWARE
Extensis Portfolio 6.0 (PC)
DISC 2
FULL SOFTWARE
Breeze Browser 1.4b (PC)
iView Media LE (MAC)
issues of the magazine, but I’m keeping my lips
firmly sealed for now so you’ll need to check out
each issue of the magazine or visit the Digital
Camera Magazine website (www.dcmag.co.uk)
for more details.
DEMO SOFTWARE
iView Media Pro (MAC)
Breeze Browser 2.4c (PC)
Abacre Photo Editor 1.0 (PC)
ACDSee PowerPack 5.0 (PC)
ArcSoft Greeting Card 1.0
(PC)
CollageMaker 1.3 (PC)
Firegraphic XP 5.5 (PC)
PHOTOARTMASTER (PC)
PhotoBuilder Platinum 3.5
(PC)
PhotoFlair 2.0.1 (PC)
Photomatte Lab 2.0 (PC)
Spline 2.2 (PC)
Jeremy Ford
Senior New Media Editor
[email protected]
■ Don’t forget issue 7! Miss out and you’ll miss
out on getting the full version of Serif PhotoPlus
6.0. It’s a world exclusive, only on Digital
Camera Magazine....
VIRTUAL TOURS
FULL SOFTWARE
Extensis Portfolio 5.0
Desktop Edition (PC/MAC)
OTHER
Virtual Tours
Tutorial Files
Camera test shots
Camera database
Manufacturer web links
This month you’ve had the opportunity to pick up either the CD or DVD edition of
the magazine, so follow the next few pages to find out what we’ve got for you
t’s been a busy month since the last
issue, not only have we launched
the DVD edition of Digital Camera
Magazine but we’ve been very busy looking
at the next few issues, too. This is mainly due
to the additional space we have available on
the DVD, giving us effectively the same space as
six CD-ROMS.
The DVD has enabled us to feature a host of
Mac-only programs and plug-ins, plus the Virtual
Tours from previous issues of Digital Camera
Magazine are featured. We’ve a host of other
exciting ideas, too, that will be introduced over
the next few issues. We have some superb
well-known full programs lined up for future
DISC 1
Our virtual tour enables you to get a proper feel for the five
digital cameras we’ve reviewed this issue
PLUG-INS
Glitterato 1.01 (PC)
Highlight Control (PC)
LunarCell 1.40 (PC)
nik Color Efex Pro Classic
(PC)
Photographic Filters (PC)
Shadow Control 1.0 (PC)
SilverFast DC 6.0 (PC)
Smart Sharpen (PC)
SolarCell 1.31 (PC)
SuperBladePro 1.06 (PC)
FREE SOFTWARE
EasyPeg 1.02 (PC)
InstaCropper 2.2 (PC)
IrfanView 3.8 (PC)
Jalbum 3.1 (PC)
MyAlbum 2.2 (PC)
Novamatic 2000 2.0 (PC)
Power Albums 3.0 (PC)
TalaPhoto 1.1 (PC)
VCW VicMans Photo Editor
7.2 (PC)
Vikar JPEG ReSizer 2.1 (PC)
DVD
(All the above plus)
FULL SOFTWARE
ThumbsPlus 3.3 (PC)
DEMO SOFTWARE
ThumbsPlus 5.1 (PC)
Canvas 8 (MAC)
FotoTrimmer (MAC)
Paintfx 1.0.5 (MAC)
Photo Mechanic 3.2.1 (MAC)
PhotoLine 32 9.03 (MAC)
Photologist 1.1 (MAC)
Photomover 2.1.3 (MAC)
Photoshop 7.0 (MAC)
Photoshop Elements 2.0
(MAC)
PICStation 1.2 (MAC)
PLUG-INS
FotoPage Platinum (MAC)
Glitterato 1.01 (MAC)
India Ink 1.71 (MAC)
LunarCell 1.4 (MAC)
Melancholytron 1.04 (MAC)
Mr. Contrast 1.01 (MAC)
PhotoKit 1.0.0 (MAC)
SolarCell 1.31 (MAC)
SuperBladePro 1.07 (MAC)
Image Doctor 1.0 (MAC)
FREE SOFTWARE
Book Image Viewer (MAC)
iPhSwitch (MAC)
jalbum (MAC)
Slide Freebie 2.1 (MAC)
TalaPhoto (MAC)
DRIVERS
Kodak Easyshare
OTHER
Virtual Tours library
How to run your CD/DVD
Place the CD/DVD in your PC’s CD/DVD
drive. The interface will run automatically.
Read the user agreement carefully – if you
accept the terms, click ‘I agree’. Then use
the menu bar at the top of the screen to
browse your disc’s contents. Enjoy:
Reader support
01
FLY AROUND
Use the pink arrows to the left and right
of each camera image to spin the
camera around. Rollover the outside arrows to
auto-rotate the camera in that direction or click the
inside arrows to manually rotate the camera to the
position you want.
02
DETAIL SHOTS
We’ve provided nine detailed images of
each digital camera so you can have a
really thorough look at each of them. Zoom into the
required close-up shot by simply clicking the
relevant thumbnail image or pressing the number
key shown below each one.
03
TEST SHOTS
We’ve taken test shots in four different
lighting situations to enable you to view
the image quality of the individual cameras. These
include a detail picture, a skin shot, plus indoor and
outdoor shots. See a large version of each shot by
clicking the thumbnail or pressing the number key
displayed below each image.
We are careful to thoroughly test each
CD/DVD but in the event of a problem,
please call our reader support team on
01225 822743. In the event of your disc
being physically damaged, please see the
back of the disc case for details of how to
get a free replacement.
095
Extensis Portfolio 5
Whatever the size of your photo collection, it has never been easier to catalogue and search your images
*
SOFTWARE
SPECIFICATIONS
PUBLISHER
PRODUCT STATUS
CONTACT INFORMATION
AS SOLD FOR APPROX
SERIAL NUMBER
EXTENSIS
FULL VERSION FOR PC AND MAC
WWW.EXTENSIS.CO.UK
$199
INTERNET ACCESS REQUIRED
D
eciding how to store and organise your
digital photographs can be a difficult
choice to make. Many people simply
create a folder on their hard drive each time
they have finished a new batch of photos, giving
the folder a suitable name but doing nothing to
make individual pictures easily identifiable.
When the time comes that you are looking for a
particular image, you will probably find it hard to
track down.
With Extensis Portfolio 5 Desktop Edition you
can organise your photos into galleries which
allow you to preview your images. Spend a little
time giving your pictures descriptions and
keywords and you will be able to conduct
comprehensive searches in future – no more
frantic scrabbling through folders!
Portfolio also lets you stay in sync with other
users by sharing your catalogues over networks
and across platforms. You can import databases of
information into your catalogue, and even export
catalogues or specified items as web pages.
Portfolio does not just work with photos – you can
also catalogue other media files such as sounds,
videos and presentations.
Another useful feature called Background
Cataloging allows Portfolio to check every few
minutes for new files added to a folder. And any
new files found will automatically be added to
your viewing window.
When you are searching for images, you can
carry your query over as many catalogues
as you want, even those stored on a network.
To help you protect your images, you can embed
a watermark. The program can be configured for
multiple users, each of which can be assigned
different levels of access rights. For example, you
may wish other people to be able to view and
search you images, but not allow anyone else to
make changes to catalogues.
As you can see Extenisis Portfolio is an
extremely advanced product. There are many
other media managament programs on the
market but this is by far the most comprehensive
of its type available.
096
01
REGISTER THE PROGRAM
04
SET CATALOGUE OPTIONS
07
CUSTOMISE YOUR VIEW
Pay a visit to www.maxpc.co.uk/extensis
to obtain your Portfolio serial number.
Install the program and click on the Personalize
button to enter your code.
You can use the General tab to
determine the quality and size of
thumbnails as well a specifying how keywords are
generated from the image path.
From the View menu, you can select
Custom View to set various display
options. You can select what additional information
should be displayed with images.
02
CREATE A CATALOGUE
05
MORE IMAGE OPTIONS
08
SET DESCRIPTIONS
Launch the program, select the Create A
New Portfolio Catalog option and click
OK. Choose where your catalogue should be saved,
type a name and click save.
Move to the Add tab, to set more options.
Some digital cameras automatically
generate thumbnails and you can specify whether
these should be used in your catalogue.
Right click on any picture and select
Properties from the menu. You can enter
a description for all of your images. If you move to
the Keywords tab, you can add useful keywords.
03
ADD IMAGES TO CATALOGUES
06
VIEW YOUR IMAGES
09
USING KEYWORDS IN SEARCHES
You can add pictures to your catalogue
by simply dragging and dropping from
another folder. Alternatively, you can click Catalog8
Add Items and navigate to the relevant folder.
Click OK in the Option screen and your
images will be added. By default,
Thumbnail view is used, but you can also select List
or Record view from the View menu.
Click Catalog8Find, to conduct easy
searches of your images. Some
keywords are automatically generated from an
image's path, but your own will be more useful.
10
REPLACE KEYWORDS/
DESCRIPTION TEXT
If you accidentally add an incorrect
keyword or description to your images, you can
rectify your mistakes in one fell swoop. Click Catalog
8Replace, type in the word to replace and then the
replacement before clicking Replace.
13
ADD WATERMARKS TO IMAGES
You can add a Digimarc watermark to
your images to help protect them. Select
the ones you would like to watermark and click
Image8Embed Digimarc ID. Select the options you
want to use and press the Embed button.
11
VIEW A SLIDESHOW
You can view all of the image in any
given catalogue as a slideshow. Set the
option you want to use by clicking Catalog8
Slideshow Options and then start the show by
clicking Catalog8Slideshow.
14
PROTECT YOUR IMAGES
If your galleries are accessible by other
people you may want to protect them.
You can password protect images to provide four
different levels of access by clicking Catalog8
Administration and clicking on the Passwords tab.
Upgrade
Upgrade to Portfolio 6
Readers of Digital Camera Magazine can upgrade to the latest version
of Portfolio for just $99. Version 6 can now automatically synchronise the
contents of a catalogue with folders on your hard drive, so if you add
more photos to a folder, the catalogue will reflect this. There are now
more advanced options for publishing your catalogues – the Export to
12
SAVE GALLERY AS WEB PAGE
Select the images you would like to
include on a web page and click
File8Export8HTML. You can create a page using the
standard layout by clicking Export, or select a
template to use by clicking Add.
15
PRINT YOUR IMAGES
While most cataloguing will be
conducted in Portfolio itself, it can be
useful to have a hard copy of your thumbnails. Click
File8Print and make sure you select the Thumbnails
In Catalog option before hitting OK.
HTML feature has been updated and you can also distribute images on CD
using the free Portfolio browser. You can also email your images from
within the program. When you are copying images from your digital
camera to your computer, you can automatically rename files on the fly so
that they are more recognisable. You can also catalogue images without
even having to launch Portfolio! All this and more is available in Portfolio
6. Find out more about this latest version, visit www.extensis.co.uk
BreezeBrowser 1.4
View and sort your digital photographs, create web-based photo albums and view in-depth EXIF information about your images
*
SOFTWARE
SPECIFICATIONS
PUBLISHER
PRODUCT STATUS
CONTACT INFORMATION
AS SOLD FOR APPROX
SERIAL NUMBER
BREEZE SYSTEMS
FULL PRODUCT FOR PC 0NLY
WWW.BREEZESYS.COM
$35
INTERNET ACCESS REQUIRED
EXIF DATA
A popular tool developed especially for digital camera users. Read
more and find out about its useful features
W
hen you take a photograph with your
digital camera, you would be wrong to
think that all that is stored on your
memory card is the image itself. Linked to each
image you take is a range of additional
information such as the model of camera that was
used to take the picture, file size, image
resolution, camera settings in use and the date
and time the picture was shot.
All of this information comes courtesy of EXIF
(Exchangeable Image File Format) and many
digital camera owners are not aware of it. This
information is all well and good, but it is not much
use if you cannot actually read it. While there are
plenty of programs available to help you view,
tweak and organise your photos, few of them
have any EXIF related features.
This is where BreezeBrowser is different. As
well as providing the standard image preview
option, it also enables you to rename entire
folders of images in one go and also to view
the EXIF information about your pictures. The
program has been designed for use with Canon
cameras, it will work with the vast majority of
digital cameras, although you may find that not
such detailed EXIF information is available to you.
This information can be exported to a text file,
copied from image to image or even changed in
some cases.
If you would like to find out more about EXIF
information try having a look at www.exif.org.
This sites includes details of the EXIF format,
specific information about different cameras and a
forum for asking and answering questions relating
to the format.
01
REGISTER THE SOFTWARE
04
CHANGE IMAGE VIEW
Connect to the internet and pay a visit to
www.breezesys.com/DCMagazine and
enter your name and email address. In the
program, click Help8About and then press the
Register button.
You can view your images one at a time,
or view thumbnails of all of them. Switch
between these views by clicking the second toolbar
button. Change the size of thumbnails by clicking
View and selecting a size.
02
SET THE PROGRAM OPTIONS
05
VIEW EXIF INFORMATION
Click File8Preferences to configure the
program to your liking. You can indicate
how image should be ordered, setup image
deletion options and set the options and default
location for converting photos.
You need to be using Main View to see
EXIF information – double click on a
thumbnail to go to this mode. Exif information is
displayed to the right, and you can view more by
clicking the Full Details button.
Upgrade
Upgrade to BreezeBrowser 2.4
Readers of Digital Camera Magazine can upgrade to the latest version of
BreezeBrowser at a specially discounted price. BreezeBrowser 2.4 includes a new
and improved navigation system to make it even easier to preview your photos.
There is also a faster HTML page generation feature with powerful watermark
option, and you can print out high quality contact sheets and full size images
03
VIEW YOUR PICTURES
06
EXPORT EXIF TO TEXT FILES
To open a folder of images in
BreezeBrowser, click File8Open. Navigate
to the folder containing your photographs and click
OK. The first of your selected images will be
displayed in the program window.
It can be useful to save EXIF information
as a separate file from the actual
photograph. Click Tools8Export EXIF Data and
choose whether to create a text file for each image
or just one file for all photos. Now click Export All.
from within the program. The software can be bought for just £23.85 – a saving
of 10 per cent off the usual price. Before you make this essential purchase you
can try the software by installing the trial version of BreezeBrowser 2.4 from this
month’s cover disc.
If you would like to take advantage of this special dicount offer, simply visit
www.breezesys.com/DCMagazine and you will be able to purchase the
software online.
iView Media LE
Organise your digital photographs and create a slideshow from your images with iView Media LE – free on your cover CD
*
SOFTWARE
SPECIFICATIONS
PUBLISHER
IVIEW MULTIMEDIA
PRODUCT STATUS
FULL PRODUCT FOR APPLE MAC ONLY
CONTACT INFORMATION
WWW.IVIEW-MULTIMEDIA.COM
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
MAC 0S 8.6 OR LATER
SERIAL NUMBER
NONE REQUIRED
GET ORGANISED
Got loads of images, then take a look at how iView Media LE can
help you organise your picture collection
W
ith traditional photography you might
collect your images together in bulky
albums and print collections, with digital
photography you have the flexibility to keep your
images in digital format before printing the
pictures you’re especially proud of.
Over time, though, you may find it increasingly
difficult to keep track of photographs you have
taken. While Mac owners have Apple’s free iPhoto
app included in OS X, it only provides basic
cataloguing functions. Like iPhoto, iView is
designed to make navigating image collections
much easier than just browsing files and folders
on your computer, but iView Media is a far more
comprehensive application.
iView supports a wider range of file formats
than iPhoto, allowing you to include DV movie
clips with your image collections and even audio –
this is great for gathering together memories of a
special event or a holiday. You can view the
images in a number of ways, as a list, as a
series of thumbnails or full-screen previews.
iView also gives you more detailed information
on your files including file size, file creator, image
resolution, colour depth and colour profile so you
can make sure images are in a format suitable for
print or for screen use.
Once you have created a catalogue in iView
you can entertain (or bore!) your friends with
the slideshow function, which enables you to
create interactive or linear slideshows with
transitions between frames and include an
audio commentary.
01
INTRODUCTION
04
SLIDESHOWS
The purpose of iView Media is to make
organising your photos much easier. And
once you’ve mastered the basics of setting up and
using the software you can even include audio and
DV video in an iView catalogue.
Slideshows are a great way to show off
your photographs. You can create a
slideshow from your images by choosing
Make8Setup slideshow.
Upgrade
Upgrade to iView Media Pro
Digital Camera Magazine has teamed up with iView to offer you the chance
to upgrade to iView Media Pro for the price of £40 or £45 for the boxed version.
IView Media Pro 1.5 includes many professional features for cataloguing
and managing your digital media files. You can drag and drop files into the
browser window, create more advanced slideshows with up to 16 photos and
02
GET STARTED
05
SLIDESHOW SETTINGS
To create a catalogue of images go to
File8Import Media and either choose
Files and Folders to use images from your hard
drive or choose From Camera to download images
straight from a connected digital camera.
In the dialogue you can choose to set
the duration of each image, transitions
between them, their size and even include a
commentary track.
movies on screen at once, easily add detailed labels and annotation to files,
search for files with an in-depth Find command, edit contrast, brightness and
sharpness of images and convert files into all manner of different formats.
You can also take advantage of full AppleScript support. A demo version
of iView Media Pro is featured on the disc so you can try out all the extra
features for yourself. To order this software and save £20 pay a visit to
www.iviewmultimedia.com/DCMagazine.
03
THUMBNAILS
06
SIT BACK AND WATCH
Have a look at the tabs at the top of
the main window. These enable you
to view your catalogue in various ways, content is a
list view, thumbnail shows individual thumbnails
and media.
You can then choose Make8Run
slideshow and your slideshow will
begin. You can control the playback with the
controller window.
ThumbsPlus 3.3
!
EXCLUSIVE
Organise, locate and preview all of the graphics files on your hard drive as well as printing and converting from one format to another
*
SOFTWARE
SPECIFICATIONS
PUBLISHER
PRODUCT STATUS
CONTACT INFORMATION
AS SOLD FOR APPROX
SERIAL NUMBER
CERIOUS
FULL PRODUCT FOR PC ONLY
WWW.CERIOUS.COM
£45
SERIAL NUMBER NOT REQUIRED
MULTI-FEATURED
It’s like a Swiss Army Knife for your images. ThumbsPlus can do a
variety of useful operations from image conversion to printing
T
humbsPlus is a program that can be
used to do as much or as little as you
want. At its most basic, the program is
an extremely useful image cataloguing tool which
enables you to scan your hard drive for pictures
and view thumbnail previews of them. The built-in
image viewer means that by double clicking on
an image, you can view the full sized picture.
A useful feature is the option to print image
catalogues. You can define the size that each
thumbnail should be printed at to ensure that
all of your images will fit on a single page. This
can be of use if you print out digital photographs
and would like to have a handy reference page to
help you track down a particular photo you are
looking for.
Finding images on your computer is made
much simpler by ThumbsPlus as well. You can
add a description and a series of keywords to
files so that in future it will be possible to conduct
extensive searches of the contents of your
hard drive.
ThumbsPlus also features a number of image
editing options ranging from simple rotations and
resizing, to histogram adjustment and effect filters.
You can also convert images from one format to
another, and there is support for a huge range of
graphic formats.
You can also email pictures from within the
program, change your desktop wallpaper, and
even create web pages from your pictures. This
program is a must for anyone who works with
pictures regularly, providing an essential suite of
tools for your digital camera shots.
01
IMAGE FOLDER SELECTION
04
IMAGE EFFECTS
To view thumbnails of the images
contained in a folder, use the tree
structure to the left of the screen to navigate to the
relevant directory. Now click on Update All (second
toolbar button).
As well as the basic image-editing
tools available via the toolbar, there are
additional functions accessible from the menu.
Special effects can be applied by clicking
Image8Filter and selecting an effect.
02
IMAGE DATABASE
05
WEB GALLERY BUILDER
To help you find images in the future,
you can add a description and keywords
to individual files. Right click on an image and select
Annotate and enter details on the Database and
Keyword tabs.
Whether you are working with original
images or those you have made
adjustments to, you can create a website to display
them. Click Thumbnail8Web Page Wizard and
follow the on screen instructions.
Upgrade
Upgrade to ThumbsPlus 5
The Thompson Partnership is offering a special upgrade price of £45.30 (including
VAT and £3 shipping), a saving of over £15. To order, open ThumbsPlus 3.3 and
press [Ctrl] + [F1]. Enter ‘order’ into the search box and then select Order Form United Kingdom. Enter your details and print the order form out before sending it
to the address given.
03
IMAGE VIEWER
06
BATCH IMAGE CONVERSION
If you double click on a thumbnail, you
can view images full screen. You can
display the editing toolbar by clicking View8Toolbar
or by pressing 'T'.
he batch conversion option is useful
if you need to resize a number of
images or convert an entire folder from one
format to another. Click Picture8Convert/Batch Edit
to get started.
As always there is an evaluation version of the ThumbspLus 5 included on the
disc so you can try before you buy. What you will find in the latest version is finetuned and enhanced features that you’ll already be familiar with, from version
3.3. Most obviously is an overhaul on the main interface that now enables you to
customise the interface with the tools you use most regualry and even alter the
appearnce of the toolbar buttons. Find out more by visiting the developers web
site at www.cerious.com
SECTION #05 RETAILERS
5 steps to safe shopping
To prevent or handle the unlikely event of receiving faulty or
damaged goods, why not follow our checklist below – you’ll
reduce whatever slight chance there is of problems:
1
2
CHOOSE YOUR SITE OR RETAILER
3
NEVER PAY IN CASH
4
KEEP A RECORD
5
DON’T USE A DEBIT CARD
DIGITAL
CAMERA
MAGAZINE
Overleaf, you’ll find pages of camera retailers who offer
competing prices and levels of service. Give them a look.
USE A CREDIT CARD
If you are buying goods worth more than £100 in total, use a
credit card. This is because in the event of any problems, you are
entitled to claim against the credit card company as well as the
seller (you won’t get your money back twice but the company is
there to claim against if the seller has gone bust.) You might also
get extra insurance, so check with your credit firm.
If you can’t pay by credit card, use a cheque or postal order
instead. Don’t send cash through the mail, even by registered
post. Apart from the risk of theft, you can’t stop payment if you
need to, and it’s impossible to prove how much you sent.
Keep records if you’re paying by credit card over the phone. Print
off web pages after you have entered your details on them. Keep
notes of exact times and the name of the person who took your
order, if you’re paying by phone. Always keep your receipts.
Many debit cards don’t have the protection or insurance options
afforded to credit cards, so avoid using one.
Dealerbank
18 pages of the UK’s camera retailers
Contact our team
#
We can’t make guarantees on quality of service from our
advertisers, but if you do have problem – or have had
praiseworthy service – we’d like to know. Email us at
[email protected]
To advertise in our Dealerbank section contact
our sales team on 01225 442244 or email
[email protected]
£
Buyers’ Guide
Buyers’ Guide
Your comprehensive database of best buys and prices – from the reviews pages of Digital Camera Magazine
CAMERAS BELOW £150
Make/model
Price
Megapixels
Description
Make/model
Price
Megapixels
Description
SiPix Stylecam Blink
£40
0.31
A small, neat, novelty product
Digital Dream l’Espion
£39
0.3
Fine as a fun toy, but picture quality is lacking
FujiFilm @xia Slimshot
£80
0.31
Slimline, light, easy to use – good for children
Jessops Fashioncam FC130
£70
1.2
Cheap ‘n’ cheerful with AVI movie mode and webcam
Mustek Gsmart Mini2
£80
1.3
A reasonable price, although slightly fussy
Nisis QuickPix 2
£40
0.3
PC webcam with digital stills and AVI movie mode
Creative PC Cam 300
£85
64 x 480
A good, fun, cheap product at a low price
Jenoptik JD-C1300
£60
1.3
Can store 60 pics on its built-in 16MB memory. Cheap
Konica KD100
£100
1.3
A neat, well made product for an average price
Digital Dream Enigma
£80
1.3
CMOS image sensor, SmartMedia storage, average pics
Creative PC Cam 750
£110
1,024 x 768
Standard reproduction with a large internal memory
Casio wrist watch camera
£120
0.02
Novelty product that rapidly outstays its welcome. Avoid
Samsung Digimax 130
£130
1.3
A well made, standard product – very user friendly
Konica Revio C2
£120
1.2
Ultra-compact with decent picture quality and features
Fujifilm FinePx A101
£140
1.3
Basic, easy to use and accurate
Jenoptik JDC 1.3 LCD
£80
1.2
Entry level camera with LCD display, SD memory storage
HP Photosmart 320
£150
2.14
Sharp, focused and clear images – good value for money
Samsung Digimax 101
£100
1.2
User-friendly with decent image quality. Ideal for beginners
£150 PLUS
OLYMPUS CAMEDIA C-120
£170 |2 megapixels
www.olympus.co.uk
£200 | 1.3 megapixels www.sony.co.uk
Robust design and a quick, easy to use, likeable
camera, although poor image quality results in a
disappointing finish
Sensor 2.0-megapixel 1/3.2 inch CCD Image size
1,600 x 1,200, 1,024 x 768, 640 x 480 Lens Olympus
4.5 Focus auto, macro Exposure modes
Programmed AE Metering Digital ESP, spot AE
compensation +/-2EV, 0.5EV increments Flash auto,
red-eye, off, fill in, slow sync, slow sync with red
eye Video output n/a Movie recording up to 15
secs at 320 x 240 pixels. up to 60 secs at 160 x 120
Image storage SmartMedia Batteries 2x lithium
batteries/4x AA AC adaptor optional Weight 190g
(without batteries or card) Dimensions 123mm(w)
x 65mm(h) x 44.5mm(d) Transfer USB interface
Software CAMEDIA Master OS Windows 98, 98 SE,
2000, Me, XP. Mac OS
80
Features
60
Images
80
Build
Value
120
55
SONY CYBER-SHOT
DSC-U10
1 FINAL SCORE
1
%
1
1
75
Not so slim-line as its competitors, yet still
compact and easy to carry. Images are sharp and
well defined
Sensor 1.26-megapixel CCD Image size 1,600 x
1,200 Lens Sony single focal length 5.0mm Focus
auto Exposure modes Programmed AE, auto
Metering centre-weighted Monitor 1.0-inch 64,000
pixels TFT reflective LCD AE compensation n/a
Flash auto, auto red-eye, forced flash, no flash
Video output n/a Movie recording 160 x 112 in 15
second clips, no audio Image storage Memory Stick
Batteries 2x AAA NiMH AC adaptor n/a Weight
118g (without batteries or card) Dimensions
85mm(w) x 29mm(h) x 40mm(d) Transfer USB
Software Pixela ImageMixer, Sony SPVD-008, USB
driver OS Windows 98, Me, XP
Features
Images
Build
Value
71
80
90
83
1 FINAL SCORE
1
%
1
1
85
RICOH CAPLIO RR-30
CANON POWERSHOT A40
NIKON COOLPIX 2500
£225 | 3.2 megapixels
www.ricoh-cameras.co.uk
£230 | 2 megapixels
www.canon.co.uk
www.nikon.co.uk
With so many good cameras at or around the
Ricoh’s price point, it could do with a bit more
appeal. A camera you’ll buy on price alone
Sensor 3.2-megapixel, 1/2.7-inch 3.34MP CCD Lens
Ricoh f/2.6-4.7 3x zoom Focus auto, macro
Exposure modes Programmed AE, scene modes
Metering multi-segment, centre-weighted, spot
Monitor 1.6-inch 80,000 pixels AE compensation
+/-2EV, 0.3EV increments Flash auto, on, off, slow,
red-eye Video output PAL/NTSC Movie recording
320 x 240 at 15fps without sound Storage 8MB
internal memory, SD card slot Batteries 2x AA AC
adaptor no Weight 160g (without batteries or card)
Dimensions 114mm(w) x 54.5mm(h) x 32.5mm(d)
Transfer USB Software Ricoh Gate, DU-10 image
browser & editor OS Windows 98, Me, 2000, XP. Mac
OS 8.6-9.2.2, OS X 10.1.2 or later
Features
73
82
Images
Build
Value
70
82
1 FINAL SCORE
1
%
1
1
77
Not a great looking camera with dull, grey styling
and underpowered CCD, but excellent manual
features and colour reproduction
Sensor 2.1 megapixel CCD Image size 1600 x 1200
Lens 35-105mm equiv, f/2.8 optical zoom lens, 2x
digital zoom Focus auto, macro Exposure modes
auto, program, manual, stitich assist, movie Metering
evaluation and spot Monitor 1.5 inch TFT colour LCD
approx. 120,000 pixels AE compensation +/-2EV,
0.3EV increments Flash auto, red-eye auto, forced on,
red-eye on, forced off, slow sync Video output
PAL/NTSC Movie recording 20fps - 320 x 240 10 secs
or 160 x 120 30 secs Other features optional wide
angle, telephoto and closeup lenses Image storage
CompactFlash Batteries 4x AA alkaline/4x NiMH
batteries Weight 250g AC Adaptor optional
Dimensions 110mm (w) x 71mm (h) x 38mm (d)
Transfer USB Software RemoteCapture OS Windows
98 SE, 2000, XP. Mac OS
88
Features
90
Images
Build
Value
75
90
1 FINAL SCORE
1
%
1
1
85
To fit a well-featured 3x zoom digital camera into
such a small, sexy package is a real achievement.
Tiny flash can produce uneven results
Sensor 2.11-megapixel 1/2.7-inch CCD Image size
1600 x 1200, 1280 x 960, 1024 x 768, 640 x 480
Lens 3x zoom Nikkon f/2.7-4.5 Focus auto, macro
Exposure modes Program AE, scene Monitor 1.5inch TFT color monitor AE compensation n/a Flash
auto, fill, slow sync, red-eye Video output Movie
recording 15fps (QVGA frames) for up to 15 secs
Image storage CompactFlash Batteries lithium-ion
AC adaptor optional Weight 165g (without batteries
or card) Dimensions 114mm(w) x 59.5mm(h) x
31.5mm(d) Transfer USB Software NikonView 5 ,
Arcsoft PhotoImpression, Arcsoft Panorama Maker
2000 OS Windows 98 SE, Me, 2000, XP. Mac OS 9.09.2, OS X 10.1.2 or higher
72
Features
Images
67
72
Build
Value
69
1 FINAL SCORE
1
%
1
1
70
£150 PLUS
PANASONIC LUMIX
DMC-F7-S
£280 |2 megapixels www.panasonic.co.uk
Although image quality can be weak, this is a great
camera for portability and style. A good buy as a
second camera
1,600 x 1,200 Lens Leica DC Vario Emarit 2x zoom
f/2.8-4.0 Focus auto, macro Exposure modes
Program AE, night scene, landscape Metering
Evaluation, spot rec Monitor 1.5 inch TFT LCD 60,000
pixels AE compensation +2/-2EV, 0.25EV increments
Flash built-in, slow sync Video output PAL Movie
recording Motion JPEG Image storage SD, MMC
Batteries lithium-ion AC adaptor optional Weight
104mm(w) x 50.9mm(h) x 31.6mm(d) Transfer
USB Software ArcSoft Editing Suite, ArcSoft
Photoimpression OS Windows 98, 2000, Me, XP
Mac OS
Features
Images
70
61
85
Build
Value
65
1 FINAL SCORE
1
%
1
1
74
HP PHOTOSMART 720
www.hp.com/uk/create
FUJIFILM FINEPIX A303
www.fujifilm.co.uk
£300 | 3.1 megapixels www.kodak.co.uk
Underneath its modest, slim exterior is an
extremely capable and likeable camera that
produces fine results
2,048 x 1,536 Lens Fujinon f/2.8-4.8 3x zoom Focus
auto, macro Exposure modes Program AE Metering
64-zone TTL Monitor 1.5-inch 60,000 pixels AE
on, off, red-eye, slow sync Video output No Movie
recording 320 x 240 at 10fps without sound Other
features Can be connected to computer for use as
webcam Image storage x-D Picture Card Batteries
2x AA AC adaptor not supplied Weight 145g
(without batteries or card) Dimensions 97.0mm(w)
x 63.9mm(h) x 34.3mm(w) Transfer USB OS
Windows 98, Me, 2000, XP. Mac OS 8.6-9.2.2, OS X
10.0.4
Features
Images
Build
70
85
80
90
Value
KODAK EASYSHARE
DX4330
1 FINAL SCORE
1
%
1
1
87
OLYMPUS CAMEDIA
C-300 ZOOM
£300 | 3 megapixels www.olympus.co.uk
Poor LCD performance and erratic metering
aside, this is a decent digital camera for a firsttime user
Sensor 3.3-megapixel CCD Image size 2,160 x 1,440
Lens Kodak Retinar 3x optical, 38-114mm equiv,
f/2.8-5.1 Focus auto, macro Exposure modes
Program AE with scene modes Metering multipattern TTL Monitor 1.8-inch indoor, outdoor type AE
compensation +/-2EV, 0.5EV increments Flash builtin auto, fill, off, red-eye Video output PAL/NTSC
Movie recording yes, with sound Other features
on-camera tagging for email, printing, favourtes
Image storage 8MB internal, SD card slot Batteries
CRV3 lithium-ion, 2x AA AC Adaptor not supplied
Weight 210g (without batteries or card) Dimensions
110.5mm(w) x 66mm(h) x 39mm(d) Transfer USB
Software Kodak Easyshare OS Windows 98, Me,
2000, XP, Mac OS X
Features
Images
Build
Value
1 FINAL SCORE
1
%
1
1
55
63
63
62
70
SONY CYBER-SHOT
DSC-P71
Although bulky in appearance, this is a relaible,
accuarte camera – if somewhat basic. Performance
is fine and the mono LCD is a nice touch
Sensor 3.3-megapixel 1 1/8 inch CCD Image size
11x14 inches Lens 3x optical Focus auto Exposure
modes auto, auto exposure, auto with red-eye ,
manual strobe (forced on/off) Video output
PAL/NTSC Movie recording 320 x 240 pixels at 20fps
- 30 secs max Monitor 1.6 inch 110,000 pixel AE
compensation -1.5/+1.5EV, 0.5EV increments Image
storage SD card slot Batteries 4x AA AC adaptor
optional Weight 0.59lb (without batteries or card)
Dimensions 4.7(w) x 2.9(h) x 2.1inches(d) Transfer
USB or HP Photosmart 8881 Software HP Photo
and Imaging software, Greeting card creator OS
Windows 98, Me, XP, 2000, Mac OS 9.1 and OS X
10.1.2 or higher
Features
Images
Build
Value
71
76
66
70
1 FINAL SCORE
1
%
1
1
71
It’s a real pleasure to use a camera that has had
so much thought gone into it. Excellent features
and sharp, colourful images. Recommended
1,984 x 1,488, 1,600 x 1,200, 1,280 x 960, 1,024 x
768, 640 x 480 Lens Olympus lens f/2.9-4.4, 2.8x
optical zoom Focus auto, manual, macro Exposure
modes Programmed AE, compensation, night scene
Metering Digital ESP, spot Monitor 1.8-inch 61,000
pixels AE compensation +/-2EV, 0.5EV increments
Flash auto, red-eye, fill-in, off, night scene Video
output PAL Image storage SmartMedia Batteries 4x
AA NiMH, 2x lithium AC adaptor optional Weight
117.5mm(w) x 66.0mm(h) x 49.5mm(d) Transfer
USB OS TBA
Features
Images
90
80
Build
90
Value
89
1 FINAL SCORE
1
%
1
1
90
The limited specs make the F402 look dear
compared similar products. Great appearance and
average image results
Sensor 2.1-megapixel, 1/2.7-inch colour CCD Image
size 1,600 x 1,200 pixels Lens 8-76mm 2x optical
zoom lens. f/2.8-4 Focus auto, macro Exposure
modes auto Metering TTL Monitor 1.5-inch colour
TFT LCD 118,000 pixels AE Compensation n/a Flash
Built-in auto, red-eye Video output n/a Movie
recording n/a Other features Exif V2.2 Image
storage SD Batteries lithium-ion AC adaptor
supplied Software USB driver, ACDSee Weight 170g
(without batteries or SD card) Dimensions 54(w) x
108(h) x 29.5(d)mm Transfer USB OS Windows 98,
2000, Me, XP. Mac OS 9.0 or higher
Features
Images
75
70
85
Build
Value
70
1 FINAL SCORE
1
%
1
1
73
FUJIFILM FINEPIX F402
£300 | 3.2 megapixels | www.sony.co.uk
DIGITAL
CAMERA
MAGAZINE
TOSHIBA PDR-T20
www.home-entertainment.toshiba.co.uk
www.fujifilm.co.uk
DIGITAL
CAMERA
MAGAZINE
Easy of use, top components, good value and
performance, this is a very safe investment for a
first-time digital buyer
Sensor 3.2-megapixel 1/1.8-inch 3.3 MS HAD CCD
Image size 2,048 x 1,536 - 320 x 240 Lens 3x
optical zoom Focus auto, auto macro Exposure
modes Programmed AE, scene modes Metering
auto, with indication as to ‘wide’ or ‘centre
weighted’ Monitor 1.5-inch 123,000 pixels AE
fill in (forced on), flash off, red-eye Image storage
Memory Stick Batteries 2x AA NiMH rechargeable AC
adaptor optional Weight 284g (without batteries or
card) Dimensions 124.9mm(w) x 58mm(h) x
43.6mm(d) Transfer USB OS Windows 98, ME, 2000.
Mac OS 8.6-9.01, OS X
Features
Images
85
87
Build
90
Value
90
1 FINAL SCORE
1
%
1
1
90
This small, neat model produces excellent images
– thus managing to both look very good and
work very well
Sensor 2.1-megapixel 1/2.7-inch 2.1MP SuperCCD
Image size 2,048 x 1,536 Lens Fujinon f/3.2 fixed
focal length lens Focus auto, macro Exposure modes
Programmed AE Metering 64-zone Monitor 1.5-inch
117,000 pixels AE compensation +1.5/-2EV, 0.3EV
increments Flash auto, on, off, slow, red-eye Video
output n/a Movie recording 320 x 240 at 10fps
with sound Other features Docking cradle, soft case
Image storage xD-Picture Card Batteries lithium-ion
rechargeable, NP-40 AC adaptor supplied Software
FinePix Viewer, ImageMixer VCD Weight 125g
(without batteries or card) Dimensions 77mm(w) x
69mm(h) x 22mm(d) Transfer USB OS Windows
98/Me, 2000 or XP. Mac OS8.6-9.2.2, OSX 10.0.4
or higher
Features
Images
70
86
Build
93
Value
90
1 FINAL SCORE
1
%
1
1
85
Don't invest till
you've put it to
test. Our digital
buyers’ guide
shows you how…
Forget movie modes, pretty histograms
and cameras that turn onto the sound
of the national anthem, we’re talking
about cameras that produce images good
enough to put on your wall. And,
unfortunately, not all models will – there
are a number of features and functions that
really are must-haves for the discerning
creative photographer.
Top on the list then has to be full exposure
control, through aperture-priority, shutter
priority and manual modes. A good range of
aperture settings (eg f/4.5-f/22) and shutter
speeds (eg 1/1000sec to 10 seconds) are
vital too. The serially lazy, or those on a tight
budget, might make do with program modes
such as night, portrait and landscape but
these are only going to take you so far, and
full automation really will take you nowhere
beyond the realms of the happy snapper.
But it’s also no good making creative use
of apertures if you can only print postage
stamp size images – go for a resolution
of at least 3-megapixels if you want
decent size prints – as big as six if you want
to print A4. When considering lens choice,
remember that standard lenses are about
3x in size (forget digital zoom), but go
all the way up to 8x. The longer the
better, really, as you can’t change the lens
once you’ve bought your camera, unless
you’re investing in a digital SLR – the
enthusiasts’ choice.
Metering modes are another important
factor – spot metering will give you much
more scope for manoeuvre when you’ve
mastered the basics of exposure and lighting.
Exposure compensation and exposure
bracketing are two more vital options for
avoiding the perils of under and
overexposure. Burst mode is useful for those
who want to capture moving subjects, and
careful consideration should also be given to
a camera’s power up time, shutter lag, and
recovery time.
Other important features include
rechargeable battery compatibility; the type
of rechargeables used (NiMH are better
than NiCd); the inclusion of a hotshoe for
external flash; custom white balance
settings; and the type of memory cards used
(Compact Flash give the biggest options for
storage capacity, but are generally found only
on high-end models).
121
£
Buyers’ Guide
£300 PLUS
CANON DIGITAL IXUS 2
KONICA KD-400Z
MINOLTA DIMAGE F100
TOSHIBA PDR-3310
www.canon.co.uk
£400 | 2.1 megapixels www.fujifilm.co.uk
www.konica.co.uk
www.minolta.co.uk
www.home-entertainment.toshiba.co.uk
DIGITAL
CAMERA
MAGAZINE
Other makers produce excellent all-metal subminiature models, but this latest incarnation of
the Digital Ixus is a beautifully-made classic
Sensor 2-megapixel 1/2.7-inch 2.1MP CCD Lens
Canon, f2.8-4, 2x optical zoom Focus auto, macro
Exposure modes Program AE Metering Evaluative,
spot Monitor 1.5-inch 120,000 pixels AE
on, off, slow sync, red-eye Video output PAL/NTSC
Movie recording AVI Other features PC connected
shooting, Stitch Assist panoramic mode Image
storage CompactFlash Batteries lithium-ion NB-1LH
3.7V AC adaptor Supplied Weight 180g (without
batteries or card card) Dimensions 87mm(w) x
57mm(h) x 26.7mm(d) Transfer USB Software RAW
Image Converter, ZoomBrowserEX, PhotoStitch,
RemoteCapture OS Windows 98, Me, 2000, XP. Mac
OS 8.6-9.2, OS X 10.1
Features
78
Images
80
95
Build
Value
70
1 FINAL SCORE
1
%
1
1
75
HP PHOTOSMART 850
www.hp.com/uk/create
This Finepix is an excellent 2-megapixel ultracompact camera. It offers lots of style and high
image quality to back it up
Sensor 2.1-megapixel, 1/2.7-inch Super CCD Image
size 1,600 x 1,200 Lens Super EBC Fujinon 38-114mm
3x optical zoom Focus Auto, macro Exposure Auto,
Programmed AE Metering 64-zone TTL Monitor 1.5inch colour TFT LCD 114,000 pixels AE Compensation
+1.5/-2.1EV, 0.3EV increments Flash auto, red-eye,
slow sync Video output n/a Movie recording up to
480 seconds with sound Other features DPOF, Exif
2.2 Image storage SmartMedia Batteries lithium-ion
AC adaptor supplied Software DP Editor, FinePix
Viewer, VideoImpression Weight 185g (excluding
batteries) Dimensions 85.0(w) x 69.4(h) x
27.5(d)mm Transfer USB Software FinePix Viewer,
DP Editor, Apple QuickTime 5.0, VideoImpression OS
Windows 98, 2000, Me, XP. Mac OS 8.6 or higher
Features
Images
80
85
90
Build
Value
85
1 FINAL SCORE
1
%
1
1
84
SONY CYBER-SHOT
DSC-P9
£430 | 4 megapixels www.sony.co.uk
The KD-400 is a remarkable camera. The size,
build, quality, results and price – all in a package –
are really quite hard to fault
1,704 Lens Hexanon 3x optical zoom, 39-117mm
equivalent, f2.8-4.9 Focus auto, macro Exposure
modes Programmed AE Metering Centre-weighted,
spot Monitor 1.5-inch TFT AE compensation +2/-2EV,
0.3EV increments Flash auto, red-eye, night portrait,
off Video output n/a Movie recording with sound
Other features In-camera picture re-sizing, voice
annotations Image storage SD card, Memory Stick
Batteries lithium-ion AC adaptor charger supplied
Weight 198g (without batteries or card) Dimensions
94(w) x 29.5(h) x 56(d)mm Transfer USB Software
basic manuals and drivers OS Windows 98, Me, 2000
or XP. Mac OS 9.0 or higher
Features
1 FINAL SCORE
1
%
90 1
97 1
78
90
Images
Build
Value
90
The DiMAGE 7100 has packed virtually every
feature a serious photographer will need into this
very portable, squared-off metal case
Sensor 3.95-megapixel 1/1.8-type CCD Image size
2,568 x 1,928 Lens Minolta GT 28-200mm, 7x zoom
Focus Auto, single shot, full time, manual Exposure
modes Programmed AE, aperture priority, shutter
priority, manual, scene modes Metering Multisegment, spot Monitor 1.5 inch TFT colour 110, 000
Flash auto, red-eye, fill flash, cancel Video output
PAL/NTSC Movie recording 35 secs at 15 fps Other
features Interval recording Image storage SD, MMC
Batteries 4x AA AC adaptor sold separately Weight
185g Dimensions 111(w) x 52.3(h) x 32.0(d)mm
Transfer USB Software USB driver and DiMAGE
Viewer OS Windows 98, Me, 2000, XP, Mac OS 8.6
or higher
95
Features
Images
90
Build
85
Value
85
1 FINAL SCORE
1
%
1
1
86
Despite the first- class feature list and build
quality, Toshiba might be asking slightly too high
a price for what are very average images
2,048 x 1536 Lens 3x optical, Focus auto, macro,
manual Exposure modes Program AE Metering
Evaluation, centre-weighted, spot Monitor 1.5 inch
110,000 pixels AE compensation +/-2EV, 0.3EV
increments Flash Auto, red-eye, fill in, flash off
Image storage SD, MMC Batteries 4x AA alkaline AC
adaptor n/a Weight 175g (without batteries or card)
Dimensions 91(w) x 57(h) x 31.5(d) mm Transfer
USB Software USB driver and DiMAGE Viewer OS
Windows 98, Me, 2000, XP, Mac OS 8.6 or higher
86
Features
Images
68
90
Build
Value
70
1 FINAL SCORE
1
%
1
1
74
OLYMPUS C-4000 ZOOM
PENTAX OPTIO 430RS
www.olympus.co.uk
www.olympus.co.uk
www.pentax.co.uk
DIGITAL
CAMERA
MAGAZINE
The limited specs make the F402 look dear
compared to other entry-level snapshot cameras,
but there’s so much more to it than that
Sensor 4.1-megapixel 1/1.8 inch CCD Lens 8x optical
f2.8-3.1 Focus auto, macro mode Exposure modes
Program AE, Aperture priority, shutter priority
Metering TTL Monitor 2-inch AE Compensation +3/3EV, 0.5EV increments Flash auto, red-eye, off, on
Movie recording 288 x 216 at 15 fps with sound
Other features instant share, optional camera dock
Image storage SD Batteries 4x AA AC adaptor n/a
supplied Weight 388g Dimensions 120mm(w) x
120mm(h) x 85mm(d) Transfer USB Software HP
Photo and Imaging software, HP memories disk
creator OS Windows 98, Me, 2000, XP. Mac OS 9.1, OS
X 10.1.2 or higher
Features
72
Images
78
Build
Value
122
59
80
1 FINAL SCORE
1
%
1
1
72
Sony’s flagship 4-megapixel model is a real class
act, with great performance going hand in hand
with smooth ease of use
2,272 x 1,704 – 320 x 240 Lens Sony 3x optical
zoom f2.8-5.6 Focus auto, macro Exposure modes
Program AE, scene modes Metering auto with
indication to ‘wide’ or ‘centre weighted’ Monitor
1.5-inch 123,000 pixels AE compensation +/-2EV,
0.3EV increments Flash auto, red eye, fill in (forced
on), flash off Movie recording full screen playback –
16fps – length determined by media capacity Image
storage Memory Stick Batteries 4x AA AC adaptor
included Weight 206g (without batteries)
Transfer USB Software Pixela Image Mixer, USB driver
OS Windows 98 rev 2, Me, 2000, XP. MacOS 8.6-9.01,
OS X or higher
Features
82
88
Images
90
Build
Value
80
1 FINAL SCORE
1
%
1
1
86
Not the cheapest 3-megapixel camera , but
extremely versatile. Compact, practical and good
for both the beginner and more advanced user
Sensor 3.34-megapixel 1/2.7-inch CCD Lens
Olympus Multivator f2.8-3.5, 10x optical zoom Focus
auto, Super-macro Exposure modes Program AE,
shutter priority, aperture priority, manual, scene
modes Metering Digital ESP, spot, multi-spot
+/-2EV, 0.3EV increments Flash auto, on, off, slow
sync, slow sync with red-eye, second curtain sync
Video output PAL/NTSC Movie recording 320 x 240
at 15fps without sound Other features twin media
slots Image storage SmartMedia, x-D Picture Card
Batteries 4x AA AC adaptor optional Weight 310g
(without batteries) Dimensions 107.5mm(w) x
76.0mm(h) x 77.5mm(d) Transfer USB Software
USB driver, CAMEDIA Master OS Windows 98, 2000,
NT, XP. Mac OS 9, OS X or higher
Features
90
Images
90
Build
Value
83
89
1 FINAL SCORE
1
%
1
1
88
A great range of photographic features, making
this suitable for beginners – with great innovative
features for the intermediate photographer, too
Sensor 4.13 million pixels 1/1.8-inch CCD Image size
3,200 x 2,400 (in Print enlarge mode) Lens Olympus
3x multivariator zoom lens Focus TTL system iESP auto
0.2m–infinity Exposure modes Programmed auto
exposure, Aperture priority auto, Shutter priority
Metering spot, multi-spot Monitor 1.8-inch colour TFT
LCD AE Compensation +2/-2EV, 0.3EV increments
Flash auto, red-eye, off, fill-in slow sync Movie
recording QuickTime Motion JPEG Other features AF
area selection system Image storage SmartMedia
Batteries lithium-ion AC adaptor not supplied Weight
290g Dimensions 110 (w) x 76 (h) x 70 (d) mm
Transfer USB Software USB driver, CAMEDIA Master OS
Windows 98, 2000, NT, XP. Mac OS 9, OS X or higher
Features
90
Images
90
Build
90
Value
90
1 FINAL SCORE
1
%
1
1
90
The Optio 430RS feels like a classy camera, both in
terms of its build quality and the feel of its
controls. It crams in lots of features, too
1,712 Lens Pentax power zoom 37.5-112.5mm
equiv, f/2.6-4.8 Focus auto, manual, macro
Exposure modes Programmed AE, manual
Metering Multi-segment, centre-weighted, spot
Monitor 1.6-inch TFT AE compensation +2/-2EV,
0.3EV increments Flash auto, on, off, red-eye Video
output n/a Movie recording up to 30 secs – no
sound Other features stereoscopic shooting mode
Image storage 11MB Internal, CompactFlash
Batteries lithium-ion AC adaptor optional Weight
Software ACDSee image cataloguing & editing
package OS Windows 98, Me, 2000, XP. Mac OS 8.6
or higher
88
Features
Images
72
91
Build
Value
79
1 FINAL SCORE
1
%
1
1
79
£300 PLUS
NIKON COOLPIX 4300
www.nikon.co.uk
; GLOSSARY
PANASONIC LUMIX
DMC-L40
£470 | 4 megapixels www.panasonic.co.uk
MINOLTA DIMAGE F300
www.fujifilm.co.uk
www..minolta.co.uk
DIGITAL
CAMERA
MAGAZINE
Overall, this delivers terrifically sharp results
combined with great exposure control and
photographic options
Sensor 4.13-megapixel 1/1.8-inch CCD Lens Nikkor,
f2.8-4.9, 3x optical zoom Focus auto, macro Exposure
modes Programmed AE, scene modes, manual
Metering 256-segment matrix, centre-weighted,
spot, AF spot Monitor 1.5-inch 110,000 pixels AE
on, off, slow sync, red-eye Video output PAL/NTSC
Movie recording QVGA 15fps Other features 12
scene modes Image storage CompactFlash Batteries
lithium-ion EN-EL1, 7.4v AC adaptor Weight 230g
(without batteries or card) Dimensions 95mm(w) x
69mm(h) x 52mm(d) Transfer USB Software
NikonView 5 OS Windows 98SE/Me, 2000 or XP, Mac
OS 9.0-9.2, OS X 10.1.2
90
Features
95
Images
Build
70
Value
72
1 FINAL SCORE
1
%
1
1
82
A good, fast lens and excellent results for a good
price. Sadly, the picture-taking experience is
dulled, by poor, bulky design
Sensor 4-megapixel 1/1.8-inch CCD Lens Leica DC
Vario Summicron, f2-2.5, 3x optical zoom Focus auto,
macrov Exposure modes Programmed AE, aperture
priority, shutter priority Metering Multi-pattern, spot
+/-2EV, 0.25EV increments Flash auto, on, off, slow
sync, red-eye Video output PAL/NTSC Movie
recording QuickTime Motion JPEG Other features
Voice annotations Image storage SD card slot
Batteries Lithium-ion CGR-S602E, 7.2v AC adaptor
Weight 400g (with battery and card) Dimensions
105mm(w) x 77mm(h) x 65.6mm(d) Transfer
USB Software SD Viewer for DSC, ArcSoft PhotoBase,
ArcSoft PhotoImpression, ArcSoft Panorama Maker,
USB driver OS Windows 98, Me, 2000, XP, Mac OS
9, OS X
88
Features
85
Images
Build
Value
72
83
1 FINAL SCORE
1
%
1
1
82
NIKON COOLPIX 4500
www.olympus.co.uk
www.nikon.co.uk
Good range of features and excellent images. The
only drawbacks are barrel distortion and the size
of the SM card when shooting in 6MP mode
Sensor 3.1-megapixel 1/1.7-inch SuperCCD Image
size 2,048 x 1,536 Lens Super EBC Fujinon 36108mm, 3x optical zoom Focus auto, macro
Exposure modes Programmed AE, shutter priority,
aperture priority, manual Metering 64-zone TTL,
spot, average Monitor 1.5inch colour TFT LCD
110,000 pixels AE compensation +/-2EV, 0.3EV
increments Flash auto, red-eye, slow sync Video
output PAL Movie recording 544 seconds with
sound Other features DPOF Image storage
SmartMedia Batteries lithium-ion AC adaptor
supplied Weight 220g (without battery) Dimensions
72.0mm(w) x 93.0mm(h) x 34.0mm(d) Transfer
USB Software DP Editor, FinePix Viewer, VideoImp,
Adobe PhotoDeluxe OS Windows98, Me, 2000, Me,
XP. Mac OS 8.6 or higher
Features
90
Images
90
95
Build
85
Value
1 FINAL SCORE
1
%
1
1
90
PANASONIC LUMIX
DMC-LC5
£600 | 4 megapixels www.panasonic.co.uk
A good revamp of an excellent camera – great
value too, especially with the bundled 64MB SD
card. Advanced controls can be slightly fiddly
Sensor 5.3-megapixel 1/1.8-inch CCD Lens Minolta
GT f2.8-4.7, 3x optical zoom Focus auto, manual,
macro Exposure modes Programmed AE, shutter
priority, aperture priority, manual Metering 256
multi-segment, centre-weighted, spot Monitor
1.5inch 110,000 pixels AE compensation +/-2EV,
0.3EV increments Flash auto, red-eye, slow, on, off
at 15 fps with sound Other features automatic
digital subject program selection Image storage SD
Batteries 2x AA AC adaptor not supplied Weight
110mm(w) x 52.5mm(h) x 32.5mm(d) Transfer USB
Software Minolta DiMAGE viewer OS Windows98,
Me, 2000, XP. Mac OS8.6-9.2.2, OS X 10.1.3 or higher
Features
90
Images
90
Build
81
Value
88
1 FINAL SCORE
1
%
1
1
87
CASIO QV-5700
www.casio.co.uk
DIGITAL
CAMERA
MAGAZINE
You might expect a pocketable compact camera to
sacrifice features and image quality, but the C-50
makes few concessions in either direction
2,560 x 1,920 Lens Olympus f2.8-4.8 3x optical zoom
Focus auto Exposure modes Programmed AE, shutter
priority, aperture priority, manual, scene modes
Metering Digital ESP, spot Monitor 1.5-inch 134,0000
Flash auto, on, off, red-eye, slow sync, slow sync with
red-eye Video output PAL/NTSC Movie recording
320 x 240 15fps QuickTime Other features TruePic
image processing and Pixel Mapping Image storage
x-D Picture Card Batteries lithium-ion LI-10B AC
adaptor supplied Weight 194g (without batteries)
Dimensions 99.5mm(w) x 58.5mm(h) x 41.5mm(d)
Transfer USB Software Windows 98, 2000, NT, XP.
Mac OS9 or higher
Features
90
Images
90
Build
Value
83
89
1 FINAL SCORE
1
%
1
1
88
Nikon’s done a brilliant job with the image
quality, build and finish. First class images
are guaranteed
Sensor 4.13-megapixel 1/1.8-inch CCD Lens Nikkor
f2.6-5.1, 4x optical zoom Focus auto, manual, macro
aperture priority, manual, scene modes Metering
matrix, centre-weighted, spot, AF spot Monitor 1.5inch 110,000 pixels AE compensation +/-2EV, 0.3EV
increments Flash auto, on, off, slow, red-eye Video
output PAL/NTSC Movie recording 320 x 240 at
15fps with sound Other features Swivelling body
Image storage CompactFlash Batteries lithium-ion,
EN-EL1 AC adaptor n/a Weight 360g (without
battery or card) Dimensions 130mm(w) x 73mm(h)
x 50mm(d) Transfer USB Software Nikon View 5,
Photoshop Elements 1.0, FotoStation Easy OS
Windows 98 SE, Me, 2000, XP. Mac OS 9.0-9.2, OS X
10.1.2 or higher
Features
95
Images
93
94
Build
Value
83
1 FINAL SCORE
1
%
1
1
91
The DMC-LC5 is easy to handle and comes with an
oversized 2.5-inch LCD. Picture quality is superb for
its detail, saturation, contrast and tonal range
Sensor 4.0-megapixel 1/1.76-inch CCD Lens f2.0 2.5, 2x optical zoom Focus auto, manual, Exposure
modes Auto, Program AE, shutter priority, aperture
priority, manual Metering Multi, centre-weighted,
spot, averaging Monitor 2.5-inch 205,000 pixels AE
compensation +2/-2EV, 0.3EV increments Flash auto,
on, off, red-eye, slow sync, hot shoe with contacts for
external flash units Video output PAL/NTSC Movie
recording up to 160 seconds 320 x 240 QuickTime
Motion JPEG Image storage SD Batteries lithium-ion
AC adaptor supplied Weight 360g (excluding
batteries) Dimensions 127.5mm(w) x 82mm(h) x
63.4mm(d) Transfer USB OS Windows 98 SE, Me,
2000, XP, Mac OS 9.0, OS X or higher
Features
Images
70
65
85
Build
Value
65
1 FINAL SCORE
1
%
1
1
89
The Casio’s well made, well designed and handles
well. But it’s marred by some quirky design points
and unpredictability, which is a real shame
Sensor 5.36-megapixel, 1/1.8-inch CCD Lens Canon,
f2-2.5, 3x optical zoom Focus auto, manual, infinity,
macro Exposure modes Programmed AE, shutter
priority, aperture priority, manual, Best Shot modes
Metering Multi-pattern, centre-weighted, spot
+2/-2EV, 0.3EV increments Flash auto, on, off, red-eye
AVI format with sound Other features 100+ Best
Shot settings transferable from CD Image storage
CompactFlash Batteries 4x AA AC adaptor supplied
Weight 335g (excluding batteries) Dimensions
118mm(w) x 74.5mm(h) x 64.5mm(d) Transfer USB
Software Photo Loader, Photohands OS Windows
98/Me, 2000, XP. Mac OS 8.6-9.0, OS X 10.1 or higher
Features
92
Images
87
Build
86
Value
90
1 FINAL SCORE
1
%
1
1
84
Aperture Opening in a camera’s lens that controls
the amount of light that’s let through to the image
sensor. Measured in F-stops, wide aperture settings
like f2.8 let in a lot of light, but give you a limited
depth of field. Narrower apertures like f22 let in less
light, but deliver a greater depth of field. Aperture
Priority Exposure mode setting that enables you to
select the desired aperture, while the necessary
shutter speed for correct exposure is calculated by
the camera. Autoexposure Lock Enables exposure
readings to be taken from a particular subject or
scene, and the frame then recomposed with the
original reading intact. Useful for dealing with
problematic lighting conditions. Autofocus Lock
Enables you to focus the lens on a specific point in
the frame and recompose the shot while keeping
the original focal point. Achieved in most cameras by
half-pressing the shutter button, before the shutter is
finally fired. Burst Mode Sometimes called
continuous mode. Enables several shots to be taken
in quick succession at a faster rate than single-frame
mode. Achieved by writing to memory after all shots
have been taken, avoiding recovery delay. The speed
at which this can be done and the number of frames
that can be exposed in a single burst varies between
cameras. Camera Meter Measures the amount of
light reflected from a scene through-the-lens so the
correct exposure is set. Some cameras offer several
metering modes – centre-weighted concentrates on
the central portion of a subject; centre-partial and
spot isolate a specific area, while full-frame
evaluative mode uses the whole frame area for
greater accuracy. CCD Sensor used to convert light
into image data. CCD sensors used in digital cameras
are made up of a number of CCDs arranged together.
CMOS Another type of image sensor. Cheaper to
produce than CCDs, but often considered less efficient
and inferior in quality, though this is not always the
case. Compression Enables image files to be
reduced in size. Useful for saving storage space, or
reducing the time required to send a file over the
internet. Compression can be lossy, which involves
discarding image information (e.g. JPEG), or lossless,
which compresses at a lesser rate but maintains the
same amount of information (e.g. TIFF LZW). Depthof-Field Distance in front and behind the point of
focus that remains sharp. Relational to aperture, focal
length and proximity to an in-focus subject. Short
focal length lenses, small apertures, and large
distances to the point of focus give the greatest
depth-of-field, while long focal lengths, wide
apertures, and close proximity to the point of focus
give the least depth-of-field. Digital Zoom Isolates a
specific area of an image and enlarges it, resulting in
a loss of image information. Some cameras use
interpolation to maintain file size, but with some loss
of quality. Most software packages do a better job of
cropping and interpolation. dpi Used to describe the
number of dots a printer is capable of producing in a
single inch, with bigger DPI resolutions indicating
higher quality. Effective Pixels Number of pixels that
can be said to play a part in the image. The effective
pixel size gives the only accurate clue to the amount
of information a camera can record. Exposure The
amount of light that falls on to an image sensor
between shutter opening and closing; varied through
the size of the lens aperture and duration the shutter
is kept open. If less light is received than the image
sensor requires to render a scene correctly, then
underexposure occurs. If more light than required is
received, then an image will be overexposed.
Exposure Compensation Enables you to override
the camera meter and expose by a number of stops
more or less than the designated amount. Often
used when meters misdiagnose exposure; e.g. with
overly light or dark scenes, or backlit subjects. F-stop
Measurement relating to aperture choice. Fill-in
Flash Method of using a flashgun to neutralise harsh
shadows cast by direct sunlight. The flash is normally
set to half or quarter power to ensure that natural
light is still the ‘key’ light in the shot. Flash output
compensation Similar to exposure compensation,
offering adjustment of flash power to alter the
meter’s chosen exposure. Useful for fill-in flash.
1
123
£
Buyers’ Guide
£600 PLUS
RICOH RDC-I500
CANON POWERSHOT G3
FUJIFILM FINEPIX M603
www.ricoh-cameras.co.uk
www.canon.co.uk
www.fujifilm.co.uk
OLYMPUS
CAMEDIA C-5050
£650 | 5 megapixels www.olympus.co.uk
FUJIFILM FINEPIX
S602 PRO
£700 | 3.1 megapixels www..fujifilm.co.uk
DIGITAL
CAMERA
MAGAZINE
Over-priced and the the i500’s connectivity tools
are complex and expensive. Underneath though,
is a pretty fascinating and capable camera
Sensor 3.34-megapixel, 1/1.8-inch CCD Lens Ricoh,
f2.6-3.4, 3x zoom Focus auto, manual, macro
Exposure modes Programmed AE Metering multipattern, centre-weighted, spot Monitor 2.0-inch
200,000 pixels AE compensation +2/-2EV, 0.25EV
increments Flash Auto, flash off, forced flash, Slow
sync, red-eye Video output PAL/NTSC Movie
recording AVI Other features voice memos, email
and image upload capability Image storage
CompactFlash Batteries lithium-ion DB-20L 3.7V AC
adaptor supplied Weight 295g (excluding battery)
Dimensions 141.9mm(w) x 78.2mm(h) x
30.3mm(d) Transfer USB Software Internet Explorer
plug-in for Windows, RDC-I mounter for Mac OS
Windows 98, Me, 2000. Mac OS 8.6-9.0
73
81
Images
80
Build
Value
1 FINAL SCORE
1
%
1
1
75
Features
57
MINOLTA DIMAGE 7I
www.minolta.co.uk
The PowerShot G3 has many new features, but it’s
fiddlier and fussier than the old G2. At this price, it
has also got some serious 5-megapixel rivals
Sensor 4.1 megapixel 1/1.8-inch CCD Lens Canon
Exposure modes Programmed AE, aperture priority,
shutter priorityshutter-priority, manual, scene modes
Metering evaluative, centre-weighted, spot, AF spot
Monitor 1.8-inch TFT AE compensation +2/-2EV,
0.3EV increments Flash auto, on, off, slow, second
curtain, red-eye Video output PAL/NTSC Movie
recording 320 x 240 at 15fps with sound Image
storage CompactFlash Batteries lithium-ion, BP-511
AC adaptor supplied Weight 410g (without batteries
or card) Dimensions 121mm(w) x 73.9mm(h) x
69.9mm(d) Transfer USB Software ZoomBrowser EX,
PhotoRecord, PhotoStitch, RAW image converter,
Photoshop 5.0LE OS Windows 98, Me, 2000, XP. Mac
OS8.6-9.2, OSX 10.1 or higher
Features
90
Images
91
Build
72
Value
73
1 FINAL SCORE
1
%
1
1
81
SONY CYBER-SHOT DSCF717
£850 | 5.0 megapixels www.sony.co.uk
The M603 is far too expensive for what it does as
a still camera, so you have to really want that
movie mode to make it worth buying
Sensor 3.3-megapixel 1/1.7-inch SuperCCD Lens
Super EBC Fujinon f3.2, 2x optical zoom Focus auto,
20cm in macro mode Exposure modes Program AE
Metering 64-zone Monitor 2.5-inch 118,000 pixels AE
compensation +1.5/-2EV, 0.3EV increments Flash
auto, on, off, slow, red-eye Video output PAL/NTSC
Movie recording 640 x 480 at 30fps Other features
LCD cover/shade, docking cradle, soft case, MicroDrive
slot Image storage x-D Picture Card, MicroDrive
Batteries lithium-ion, NP-60 AC adaptor supplied
Weight 210g (without battery or card) Dimensions
64.5mm(w) x 93.3mm(h) x 31.6mm(d) Transfer USB
Software FinePix Viewer, ImageMixer VCD OS
Windows 98, Me, 2000 or XP. Mac OS8.6-9.2.2, OS X
10.0.4 or higher
Features
80
Images
82
78
81
Build
Value
1 FINAL SCORE
1
%
1
1
70
A classic Olympus shape with excellent finish,
layout and design coupled with first rate results
make the C-5050 the best in its class
Sensor 5.3-megapixel 1/1.8-inch CCD Lens Olympus
f1.8-2.6 3x optical Focus auto, manual, macro, supermacro Exposure modes Programmed AE, aperture
priority, shutter priority, manual, scene modes
Metering digital ESP, spot, multi-spot Monitor 1.8-inch
114,000 pixels AE compensation +2/-2EV, 0.3EV
increments Flash Auto, on, off, slow, slow 2nd curtain,
red-eye Video output PAL/NTSC Movie recording 320
x 240 at 15fps Other features multiple memory card
slots Image storage x-D Picture Card, SmartMedia,
CompactFlash Batteries 4x AA AC adaptor supplied
Weight 125g (without battery or card) Dimensions
Software Olympus CAMEDIA Master OS Windows 98,
Me, 2000, XP. Mac OS 8.6-9.2.2, OS X 10.0.4 or higher
Features
1 FINAL SCORE
1
%
98 1
95 1
93
96
Images
Build
Value
96
DIGITAL
CAMERA
MAGAZINE
A great camera – in particularly for professionals
who will embrace the studio flash capability and
increased storage capacity
Sensor 3.3-megapixel 1/1.7-inch SuperCCD Lens
Super EBC Fujinon f2.8-3.1 6x optical zoom Focus auto,
manual, macro, super-macro Exposure modes
Programmed AE, aperture priority, shutter priority,
manual, scene modes Metering 64-zone, multipattern, spot, average Monitor 1.8-inch 110,000
pixels AE compensation +2/-2EV, 0.3EV increments
Flash auto, on, off, slow, red-eye, slow with red eye
Video output PAL Movie recording 640 x 480 at 30
fps with sound Other features dual media slots,
external flash sync Image storage CompactFlash,
SmartMedia, MicroDrive Batteries 4x AA AC adaptor
supplied Weight 150g (without battery or card)
Dimensions 121mm(w) x 81.5mm(h) x 97mm(d)
Transfer USB Software FinePix Viewer, DP Editor,
VideoImpression OS Win98, Me, 2000, XP. Mac OS 8.69.2, OS X
95
Features
Images
81
89
Build
95
Value
1 FINAL SCORE
1
%
1
1
90
NIKON COOLPIX 5700
MINOLTA DIMAGE 7HI
SIGMA SD9 DIGITAL SLR
www.nikon.co.uk
www.minolta.co.uk
www.sigmaphoto.com.
DIGITAL
CAMERA
MAGAZINE
A very good, versatile, quick camera. Let down
slightly by noise levels at the higher ISO settings
and occasionally slow focusing
Sensor 5.24-megazpixel 2-3 type CCD Image
size 2,568 x 1,928 Lens Minolta GT 28-200mm,
7x optical zoom Focus auto, continous, manual,
macro Exposure modes Programmed, aperture
priority, shutter priority, manual Metering multisegment, centre-weighted, spot Monitor 1.8
inch AE compensation +2/-2EV, 0.3EV
increments Flash Pop-up ADI with red-eye and
pre-flash TTL Video output PAL/NTSC Movie
recording 60 seconds with sound Other
features Interval recording Image storage
CompactFlash Batteries 4x AA AC adaptor n/a
Weight 525g Dimensions 117mm(w) x
90.5mm(h) x 112.5mm(d) Transfer USB
Software USB driver, DiMAGE Viewer OS
Windows 98, Me, 2000, XP. Mac OS 8.6 or higher
95
Features
Images
90
Build
85
Value
85
124
1 FINAL SCORE
1
%
1
1
89
Easy-to-use features, friendly layout of controls and
a first-class lens. Let down by sloppy software and
slightly sluggish operation
Sensor 5.24-megapixel 2/3-inch CCD Lens Carl Zeiss,
f/2-2.4, 10x zoom Focus auto, manual Exposure
modes Programmed AE, shutter priority, aperture
priority, full manual, scene and movie. Sony exclusive
NightShot and NightFrame modes Metering multipattern, centre-weighted averaging, spot Monitor 1.8inch 560 x220 pixels TFT colour AE compensation +2/2EV, 0.3EV increments Flash auto, forced, off Video
output PAL/NTSC Movie recording MPEG EX/HQX
Other features MPEG video recording, hologram AF
system, manual white balance, spot metering Image
storage Memory Stick Batteries NP-FM50 7.2v Info
Lithium AC adaptor supplied Weight 696g with battery
and Memory Stick Dimensions 127.5(w) x 82(h) x
63.4(d)mm Transfer USB, USB2.0 OS Windows 98, Me,
2000, XP. Mac OS 8.6
Features
80
95
Images
90
Build
Value
80
1 FINAL SCORE
1
%
1
1
84
Brilliantly well made, designed and so great to
use. Sadly, image quality does not reflect
otherwise excellent results
Sensor 5.24-megapixel, 2/3-inch CCD Lens Nikkor
f2.8-4.2 8x optical zoom Focus auto, manual, macro
mode Exposure modes Programed AE, aperture
priority, shutter priority, manual Metering 256segment matrix, centre-weighted, spot, spot AF
+2/-2EV. 0.3EV increments Flash auto, on, off, slow
synch (Night Portrait), red-eye Video output
PAL/NTSC Movie recording QVGA 15fps with sound
Other features Flexible Program mode, autobracketing with 3 or 5 shots, electronic SLR-style
viewfinder Image storage CompactFlash Batteries
lithium-ion EN-EL1 7.4v AC adaptor Supplied Weight
480g (without battery) Dimensions 108mm(w) x
76mm(h) x 102mm(d) Transfer USB Software Nikon
View 5 OS Windows 98 SE, Me, 2000, XP. Mac OS 9.09.2, OS X 10.1.2 or higher
95
Features
Images
79
96
Build
Value
80
1 FINAL SCORE
1
%
1
1
88
The DiMAGE 7 did not just introduce new levels of
resolution, it brought truly intelligent, practical,
brilliant design too. A wonderful camera
Sensor 5.2-megapixel, 2/3-inch CCD Lens Minolta GT
aperture priority, manual, scene modes Metering
multi-segment, centre-weighted, spot Monitor 1.8inch 118,000 pixels AE compensation +2/-2EV, 0.3EV
increments Flash auto, on, off, fill-flash, red-eye, rearsync Video output PAL/NTSC Movie recording 320 x
240 at 15fps with sound Other features flash sync
socket for use with studio lighting systems Image
storage CompactFlash Batteries 4x AA AC adaptor
supplied Weight 530g (without batteries)
Transfer USB Software DiMAGE Viewer OS Windows
98, Me, 2000, XP. Mac OS 8.6-9.2.2, OS X 10.1.5
or higher
98
Features
93
Images
92
Build
Value
86
1 FINAL SCORE
1
%
1
1
90
The image technology has clear potential and it’s
clear what the Faveon chip is capable of but users
may be disappointed with image quality
Sensor 3.5-megapixel Foveon X3 CMOS chip Lens not
supplied Focus n/a Exposure modes Programed AE,
shutter priority, aperture priority, manual Metering 8
zone evaluative, centre-weighted, centre Monitor
1.8-inch 130,000 pixels AE compensation +3/-3EV,
0.5EV increments Flash not supplied Video output
PAL/NTSC Movie recording n/a Other features
interchangeable lenses Image storage Compact
Flash, MicroDrive Batteries 4x AA, 2x CR123A for
camera functions AC adaptor supplied Weight 580g
(without batteries or lens) Dimensions 152mm(w) x
120mm(h) x 79mm(d) Transfer USB and FireWire
Software Sigma Photo Pro OS Windows 98 SE, Me,
2000, XP. Mac 9.2.1, OSX 10.1.1 or higher
81
Features
Images
Build
Value
65
77
94
1 FINAL SCORE
1
%
1
1
79
; GLOSSARY
A4 INKJET/DIRECT PRINTERS
1 Focal Length The distance between a camera’s
CANON S530D
CANON BUBBLEJET S820
CANON S900
£250
www.canon.co.uk
£219
www.canon.co.uk
£329
www.canon.co.uk
£220 www.epson.co.uk
DIGITAL
CAMERA
MAGAZINE
Print technology bubblejet & separate print head
Maximum vertical resolution 2,400dpi
Inks cyan, magenta, yellow, black
Direct printing crop, zoom, enhance image
Maximum print width 216 mm
Borderless printing yes
Extra ports digital camera
LCD mono
Dimensions 430mm(w) x 301mm(h) x 188mm (d)
Software ZoomBrowser, PhotoRecord, Image Browser,
PhotoStitch, EasyPhotoPrint
Features
Images
61
75
90
print speed
Value
71
1 FINAL SCORE
1
%
1
1
72
EPSON STYLUS
PHOTO 950
£379 www.epson.co.uk
Print technology Micro Piezo
Inks Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black, Photo Cyan, Photo
Magenta
Direct printing n/a
Maximum print speed (mono) 8.8ppm
Maximujm print speed (colour) 8.5ppm
Maximum print width A4
Extra ports USB, bi-directional parallel interface
LCD none
Dimensions 515mm(w) x 333mm(h) x 209mm(d)
Software PhotoQuicker 3.1
90
Features
Images
85
print speed
85
Value
87
1 FINAL SCORE
1
%
1
1
88
Print technology bubblejet
Inks Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black, Photo Cyan,
Photo Magenta
Direct printing n/a
Maximum print speed (mono) 4ppm
Maximum print speed (colour) 4ppm
Extra ports USB + parallel
LCD n/a
Software PhotoRecord, ZoomBrowser, PhotoStitch
ImageBrowser
Features
90
Images
95
print speed
90
Value
90
1 FINAL SCORE
1
%
1
1
95
EPSON STYLUS
PHOTO 925
DIGITAL
CAMERA
MAGAZINE
Print technology bubblejet
Magenta
Direct printing n/a
Maximum print speed (col) 7ppm
Extra ports USB
LCD none
Dimensions 443mm(w) x 319mm (h) x 185mm (d)
Software ZoomBrowser
Features
90
Images
90
print speed
90
Value
90
1 FINAL SCORE
1
%
1
1
90
Print technology Micropiezo Inkjet
Magenta
Direct printing crop, zoom, enhance image,
add effects
Maximum print width 216mm
Extra ports USB
LCD mono
Software PhotoQuicker, ImageFramer, preview
monitor
71
Features
Images
print speed
60
55
63
Value
1 FINAL SCORE
1
%
1
1
63
HP DESKJET 5550
HP PHOTOSMART 7350
LEXMARK Z65P
£149
www.hp.com
£200
www.hp.com
£150
www.lexmark.co.uk
Print technology Thermal inkjet
Inks Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black, Photo
Direct printing n/a
Maximujm print speed (colour) 9ppm
Borderless printing only 4 x 6
Extra ports USB 2.0
LCD none
Software n/a
80
Features
75
Images
print speed
Value
60
75
1 FINAL SCORE
1
%
1
1
75
Print technology Inkjet with PhotoRET IV
max vertical resolution 4,800dpi
Magenta
Direct printing crop, zoom, enhance image, add
effects
Extra ports USB
LCD mono
Software Album printing, Photo Director
68
Features
75
Images
print speed
Value
50
65
1 FINAL SCORE
1
%
1
1
67
Print technology Inkjet
Inks Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
Direct printing n/a
Borderless printing no
Extra ports none
LCD none
Software Adobe Photoshop Elements, Fotoscale
Features
56
Images
55
print speed
50
Value
50
1 FINAL SCORE
1
%
1
1
54
image sensor and the optical centre of a lens. The
greater the focal length, the larger a given subject
will appear in the lens. Longer focal lengths also
mean a reduced angle-of-view. Image Quality
Setting Enables you to vary the quality of image
capture, and thus the file size. Most cameras have
Basic, Normal, Fine and High settings, with the
former offering the smallest file size and the latter
offering the largest. Reductions in size are achieved
by either compression or a reduction in resolution.
Lower settings are ideal for web images, but the
best quality should be used for printing.
Interchangeable Lenses Lenses that can be
removed from a camera. Most commonly found in
digital SLRs, giving you the ability to choose lenses
of varying focal length and speed. Interpolation
The act of increasing or reducing the number of
pixels in an image through computer calculation,
which involves making estimates from the known
values of existing pixels in the image. Interpolating
up involves an inevitable loss of quality. ISO The
sensitivity setting of a camera’s image sensor to
light. Smaller ISO settings such as ISO100 offer the
least sensitivity but the greatest quality, while
higher ISO settings, such as ISO 1600 offer a greater
sensitivity to light but poorer quality, often in the
form of noise. Greater sensitivity allows you to
achieve faster shutter speed times, or smaller
aperture settings, in low-light situations. JPEG A
popular image file format that uses compression.
Megapixel Term given to describe one million
pixels. Memory Card Storage medium or ‘film’ of
digital cameras. Come in a number of formats, with
the most popular being SmartMedia and
CompactFlash. Card apacities range from 1MB to
1GB in size. Noise Undesirable image artefacts
introduced through software processes such as
interpolation and compression. Common to higher
ISO settings of digital cameras. Optical Zoom Type
of lens that varies focal length through the position
of lens elements which, unlike with the digital
type, results in no loss of image resolution or
quality. Pixel Smallest part of a digital image. ppi
Number of pixels per inch in an image. ppi
resolution can be altered for any image, no matter
how great the total number of pixels. Changing the
ppi of an image, say from 72ppi to 300ppi, doesn’t
alter the number of total pixels in the image, but it
does alter the output size. 300ppi is considered the
usual resolution for high-quality prints. RAW Highquality uncompressed file format used with in
digital cameras. Resolution Total amount of
information in an image in pixels. A four megapixel
camera is capable of producing an image of 4
million pixels in size. Sharpness Setting Varies the
sharpness of an image in-camera. Shutter
Mechanical device inside a camera that controls the
duration that light is allowed to fall onto the image
sensor. Shutter Speed Time that the camera’s
shutter is held open for a single exposure. High-end
cameras usually offer settings of 1/2000sec to
30secs. Longer shutter speeds are required for
lower light levels at a given aperture. Shutter
Priority Exposure mode setting that enables you to
select the shutter speed, while the necessary
aperture for correct exposure is calculated by the
camera. SLR Type of camera that reflects, via a
mirror, the image formed in a lens directly into a
camera viewfinder. Enables the photographer to
see the exact image that will be transmitted to the
image sensor once the shutter is fired. Most SLR
cameras also have interchangeable lenses. TIFF
High-quality image file format that usually works
without compression (though lossless compression
is possible). Superior to JPEGs but produces bigger
file sizes. White Balance Designed to correct colour
casts created by differing colour temperatures. e.g
overcast weather tends to cause a blue colour cast,
indoor tungsten lighting an orange cast. Some
cameras handle this automatically, while the more
sophisticated models give you the option of manual
control for different light sources.
125
NEXT STEPS
NEXT ISSUE On sale everywhere 10th April
It’s a dog’s life
Future Publishing,
30 Monmouth Street, Bath, BA1 2BW
Customer services [t] 01458 271 100
[w] www.digitalcameramagazine.co.uk
When design writer Jerome Turner set up a website
for his friends, little did he know how inexplicably
popular his shots of dogs in cars would be…
EDITORIAL & ART
Nick Merritt Managing Editor
Rob Mead Acting Editor
Paul Tysall Acting Art Editor
Kai Wood Deputy Art Editor
Elizabeth Raderecht Operations Editor
Vicky West Sub-editor
W
hen it comes to finding answers to life’s unanswerable questions,
“where’s that dog going?” is hardly likely to the phrase on most
people’s lips. Unless you happen to be Jerome Turner, that is. A
freelance design writer for Digital Camera Magazine’s sister title, Computer Arts,
Jerome found himself asking this question and started taking pictures of dogs in
cars which, in turn, became a website posted for the amusement of his friends.
Only then the rest of the world caught onto it and the site became an inexplicable
hit, with Jerome eventually guesting on V Graham Norton, the online version of
BBC’s Newsround and having his site written up in the arts and culture section of
the San Francisco Examiner.
The site, at www.dogsincars.co.uk, now receives thousands of hits a day from
the USA to Finland, Russia to Italy, and Jerome finds his inbox stuffed every
morning with yet more pictures of pooches in Peugoets, Pontiacs and Primeras.
He’s even started getting hate mail (the sure sign of a site’s popularity), and is
thinking of turning the project into a book. Which only goes to show what one
man’s slightly quirky hobby can do when you make the pictures of it available to
the citizens of the world wide web. Who said the internet was dead?
EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS
Joe Apice, Steve Bavister, Mat Broomfield,
Joe Cassels, Tim Daly, Ed Davis, Stuart Dredge,
Mark Harris, Matt Henry, Derek Lea,
Pete Martin, Aidan O’Rourke
©WWW.DOGSINCARS.CO.UK 2003
PHOTOGRAPHIC CONTRIBUTORS
(Where not credited inside)
Future Network Photo Studio, Getty Images UK,
Rex Features UK
ADVERTISING
[t] 020 7317 2600
Michelle Blackwell Ad Manager
Ben Shoesmith Sales Executive
[t] 020 7317 0259
NEW MEDIA
Next month – on sale 10th April
■ 100 ways to improve any photo
From composing your shots to making the most of available light – we
reveal the top techniques that pros use to get the best out of their
cameras. PLUS: creating reflections in Paint Shop Pro, Photoshop tips
■ All-in-one printers on test
Your printer can do more than just output photos – the right one can
be used as a scanner and fax machine too. Six of latest models on test
■ Free photo supplement
Your 20-page guide to making the most of your digital camera
■ Serif PhotoPlus 6.0 – free!
This amazing image-editing app would cost you £69
in the shops, but it’s yours free next issue
■ Don’t forget to reserve a copy of
Digital Camera Magazine at your newsagent,
or subscribe (see page 76 for full details)
130
2-CD or DVD versions!
Plus 8 pages of great ideas and events for you
to GetUp&Go to!
James Brown Group New Media Manager
Jeremy Ford Senior Disc Editor
James Guest New Media Development
Steve Pashley Online Editor
CIRCULATION AND MARKETING
Clare Tovey Production Manager
Diane Ross Production Coordinator
Mike Thorne Team Buyer
Jamie Malley Circulation Manager
Fiona Tully Marketing Manager
Marie Spicer Subscriptions Executive
SENIOR MANAGEMENT
Dave Taylor Group Publisher
John Weir Publishing Director
Colin Morrison Managing Director
Greg Ingham CEO
Printed in England
© Future Publishing Ltd 2003
Disclaimer
Getup&go section, tear-out factsheets and gatefold covers
are published in UK editions of the magazine only. All
contributions to Digital Camera Magazine are accepted
on the basis of a non-exclusive worldwide licence to
publish or license others to do so, unless otherwise
agreed in advance in writing. We reserve the right to edit
letters. We cannot accept liability for mistakes or
misprints, or any damage to equipment or possessions
arising from use of this publication, its discs or software
■ Due to unforeseen circumstances, it may sometimes be
necessary to make last-minute changes to advertised
content, for mag and discs.
FREE 20-PAGE SUPPLEMENT! IDEAS, HELP, TIPS & ADVICE
PART
01
PART
02
PART
03
NEW USERS GEE!T
STARTED HER
w digital camera
How to choose the right ne
– we reveal how
Taking your first digital photo
w to fix them
Common mistakes and ho
gon explained
All the key concepts and jar
2
2
2
2
4
CE
VI
AD
PLUS! DISCOVER HOW YOUR DIGITAL CAMERA
HELPS YOU TAKE BETTER PICTURES
BUYING A NEW CAMERA
We reveal what photographic
features you should expect for
your money
8
YOUR CAMERA EXPLAINED
How it works and when to
use the right settings at the
right moments
8
IMAGE EDITING FIRST STEPS
How to get started with PC
image-editing software – and
improve your images
WELCOME DIGITAL CAMERA FIRST STEPS
4
BEGINHERE
Today’s digital cameras are convenient, powerful, flexible and affordable.
Why would anyone want to buy an old-fashioned film-based model now?
7
W
FAMILY SNAPS Saving precious
memories is easy with a digital camera
hen it comes to choosing a new camera, digital offers some clear advantages: You don’t have
to drop off your snaps at the chemist, you don’t have to wait while your pictures are processed
to see how well they’ve turned out, and you don’t have to spend a fortune on film buying and
processing costs. Thanks to the camera’s built-in memory, your images are stored instantly and can be
reviewed on location via the built-in LCD, giving you the opportunity to try and take the shot again. The
latest five and six megapixel cameras deliver comparable image quality to many an analogue snapper
too, and you can easily output the pictures you want using a suitable photo printer hooked up to your PC.
Best of all since your images are digitised you can edit them to your heart’s content: too much sky in
the picture? Use a cropping tool to get rid of the unwanted portion. You can correct colour imbalances,
lighting, even add special effects to your shots and when you’re done, can easily email them to friends,
post them onto a website or create a slideshow burned onto CD-ROM. Digital Camera First Steps will
show you how to do all this and turn taking taking digital pictures into a hobby that will last a lifetime.
Nick Merritt, Managing Editor
[email protected]
STEP BY STEP
WHY GO DIGITAL?
Your introduction to the
exciting world of digital
photography and how it
compares to the filmbased cameras we’re all so
familiar with
From choosing and using a camera to making the most of your pictures, First
Steps will show you how. Here’s our guide to your free magazine highlights
JARGON
If you’re confused about
a technical term, don’t
worry – you’ll find one of
these handy helpers at the
top of every page
CHOOSING YOUR CAMERA
Your guide to the essential
features you should look
for in a new camera, plus
our picks of the current
crop – no matter what
your budget
8
INFO BOX
These handy boxes give
you more detail about a
particular aspect of digital
photography, from camera
technology to imageediting software
FIRST SHOTS
Everything you need to
know about taking your
first digital pictures, from
image composition to your
camera’s settings
TOP TIPS
Your at a glance guide to
making the most of your
digital images
8
4
GET YOUR PICS ON TO A PC!
For essential advice on copying, printing and editing
your pictures, turn to the Digital Darkroom on page 16
DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINEFIRST STEPS |03
CLOSE-UP DIGITAL VERSUS TRADITIONAL
JARGON:
?
35MM EQUIVALENCE
The zoom range of a digital camera’s lens is often quoted as the equivalent value to a 35mm
camera, so a typical wide angle to short telephoto 3X zoom lens would be 35-105
The digital
difference
So you want high quality as well as speed and ease of use? Then it’s
time to take a fresh look at digital photography...
ot so long ago, serious photographers wouldn’t give a
photography as a method of bridging the gap (and selling more kit),
sideways glance at a digital camera – and with good
reason. In their infancy, digital cameras could only provide
small, low-resolution photos of dubious quality. With weighty price
until digital photography became firmly established. We’ve now
reached the point where the whole industry is going digital.
One of the main reasons for change is the way we’re now using
tags, these gadgets also represented poor value for money compared
photographs. Of course, there’ll always be a place for gathering
with conventional cameras. But times have changed both quickly and
radically. Future Publishing’s own professional photo studio now
shoots the majority of its shots on digital, and all the photos of
round and boring your family and friends with all your holiday snaps,
but nowadays we want to send photos around the office or
cameras in this magazine were taken digitally.
As with so much in the digital realm, prices have fallen while
quality has improved out of all recognition. You can get hold
multimedia capabilities of modern PCs also make them ideal for
showing photos in all their glory, from simple individual shots to
complete slideshows, maybe even with music and narration to
of a brand-new digital camera that will provide excellent results
for under £300. And, digital photography has numerous benefits
compared with using film. For starters, a single roll of quality
provide a soundtrack.
And, let’s face it, scanning photos into your PC is a timeconsuming chore compared with the speed of digital downloading.
film, coupled with processing costs, will set you back around £10 a
time. A digital camera running on rechargeable batteries, on the
On top of that, the quality of scanned photos (called reflective
scanning) is never the best. Contrast and colour are normally
leeched out of photos, with flat, dull images being produced in
N
other hand, has running costs of next to nothing. You’re saving
money with every picture you take.
The way of the future
It’s a little known fact that, because conventional massmarket photography was nearing the end of its lifecycle, manufacturers brought in APS
04 | DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINEFIRST STEPS
across the world with the ease of email attachments. The
comparison to the originals. That’s why professional designers insist
on scanning transparencies, not prints.
Photos produced on a camera don’t suffer from unwanted
scanning attributes, but digital cameras themselves vary greatly in
terms of quality and features provided. So what should you look for
when making a purchase?
ELECTRONIC VIEWFINDER (EVF)
These are typically found on more expensive digital cameras, and are a smaller version of the LCD
back panel. Low refresh rates can cause problems when panning to follow moving objects
7
You can get hold of a brand-new digital camera
that will provide excellent results for under £300.
And digital photography has numerous benefits…
Image-editing software can take your
flawed original and make it sparkle
Unless you’re spending a few grand, digital cameras don’t have
removable lenses, so you’re stuck with what’s on the camera. It’s
therefore vital to make sure the zoom lens offers a good range, from
wide-angle to medium telephoto in focal length. What you’re after
here is the ‘optical zoom’ range of the camera. It’s normally quoted
as a multiplication factor, say 2x or 3x.
To avoid confusion, the focal length itself is quoted as an
equivalent figure to what the lens would offer if it was mounted on
a 35mm film camera. For example, a typical 3x zoom lens might
offer a range of 35-105mm. This gives a good wide-angle ability,
and a medium telephoto setting, which is ideal for portraiture.
The optical zoom range of a digital camera is often enhanced with
a digital zoom feature. If a camera has a 3x zoom lens with a
maximum focal length equivalence of 105mm, a 2x digital zoom
facility will take that up to 210mm. It’s not all good news, however:
the camera is having to make a best guess of what’s between the
pixels it can actually see, working in much the same way as
* FORMATS
PHOTO FORMATS
There seems to be no limit to
how you can transform your photos
once you have transferred them
to your PC. Carry out subtle
retouching to boost contrast or
remove slight flaws, or go for it and
add special effects to make a new
kind of reality.
The best images come from the
best source material. To capture the
highest-quality images, choose the
High or Fine setting on your camera.
This will capture an image in TIFF or
RAW formats, which preserve detail
well. Lower-quality settings typically
use the JPEG format: this may
capture the same number of pixels
as superior settings, but the detail
retained is not as accurate.
interpolation software on a scanner. The results are definitely
second-best and often lead to unwanted pixellation (a blocky
appearance) of the image.
Bigger is better
One figure you’ll always see quoted on a digital camera’s
specifications is the number of megapixels it has. It pays to go large,
even though it’ll cost more. A megapixel is basically a million pixels,
and these are the dots that make up the big picture. As a rough
guide, a 2-megapixel camera gives a maximum resolution of around
1,600 x 1,200 pixels, which is a safe minimum for sharp
10 x 8-inch prints. Go for a 3-megapixel camera or above if you
want to print full A4 photos and get the best quality.
At the other end of the scale, photos for sending via email or
posting on a website need to be much smaller to keep the file size
down, so if you’re not interested in printing to paper, a singlemegapixel camera will suffice. Naturally, multi-pixel cameras have
7
Zoom lenses
Once you’ve transferred your photos onto your computer, you can edit, resize and
add effects to them using image-editing programs like Adobe Photoshop Elements
CLOSE-UP DIGITAL VERSUS TRADITIONAL
JARGON:
?
SCENE MODES
Many digital cameras have Scene Modes such as portrait, sport and landscape. These adjust the exposure
for greater depth of field, faster shutter speeds and so on. They’re are ideal for beginners who want to
capture the moment without racking their brains working out the optimum exposure settings
REMOVABLE
STORAGE MEDIA
With digital cameras, the image is
captured by the image sensor and then
stored elsewhere.…
With traditional cameras, the film is used to both record and store the
image. Older digital cameras and those at the very bottom of the market
only have built-in fixed storage that can’t be removed or increased. This
means that you can only capture about 12 pictures at a time before you
need to download them to your PC’s hard disk.
low-resolution options, so you can cut down on the size and fit more
photos onto your memory card before each download to the PC.
7
Monitoring results
Budget cameras often use AA cells,
but can run out of power quickly
Only the cheapest digital cameras come with no LCD panel. This little
colour screen on the back of the camera might drain the batteries at
a rate of knots, but does give you the option of reviewing shots as
you take them, and reshooting if necessary. It also provides a quick
and easy way of navigating the camera’s features and options, such
as changing the picture size and quality settings.
LCD panels aren’t all created equal. The LCD panel can be quite
dim, especially on budget cameras, which is fine if you’re indoors or
out on a cloudy day, but in bright sunlight they can be almost
impossible to view. A good tip for preserving battery life is to use the
optical viewfinder for composing shots: turn the LCD off until you
really need to use it.
However, almost all new digital cameras come with some form of
removable storage, usually in the form of flash memory cards. These use
solid state chips to store your images. Unfortunately there is no agreed
standard, so each manufacturer is free to choose its own. The most
popular formats at present are CompactFlash and SmartMedia, although
Secure Digital (SD), Memory Stick and xD-Picture cards are all fast gaining
ground with capacities ranging from 1MB to 1GB.
As far as performance goes, there is nothing really to choose
between them, so the main thing is to check that the digital camera you
buy will support one even if there isn’t one included in the package. To be
honest, even if your camera comes with an 8MB card, you will probably
want to buy at least a 64MB card or higher for a 3-megapixel camera.
You should also ensure that the format you choose is compatible with
other devices you already own or plan to buy in future. SD and Memory
being the most popular. All memory card formats are available in a
wide range of capacities from 1MB up to 1GB, although most
cameras come with cards of between 8MB and 32MB as standard.
Some cameras also give you the ability to use more than one kind
of card. Cameras with SD slots, for example, often also accept
MultiMediaCard (MMC) cards, while some CompactFlash cameras
can handle Hitachi’s 1-inch Microdrive hard disk as well.
Unlike film, you can reuse memory cards as often as you like,
erasing them each time you’ve downloaded your photos to your PC
and then filling them up again with pictures. With prices dropping
rapidly, we reckon it makes sense to stock up with a couple of cards
if you’re taking your camera on holiday or extended photo-shoots. A
pair of decent capacity 128MB SD cards, for example, can be yours
for less than £100 if you shop around, saving you the hassle of
scurrying back to the PC to offload your pics.
What’s on the menu?
Power up
Some digital cameras eat batteries for breakfast, lunch and tea. If
you’re not careful, you’ll be shelling out the money you save on film
A good menu system is vital for adjusting camera settings without
faffing around. If it takes too long to make adjustments, you risk
missing the photo opportunity. Try the camera before buying, if
and developing on Duracells. Rechargeable options are best, but
cheap NiCad cells are a pain, as you have to drain them completely
before recharging, otherwise they run out sooner each time you use
possible, to see how logical you find its menu interface. For example,
if you need to switch to manual to adjust the depth of field or
motion-blur for panning shots, it helps to do this quickly.
them. NiMH or lithium-ion batteries are a better option, and worth
Upmarket digital cameras make the most of their buttons
and LCD panel to provide a complete operating interface that
should be both quick and easy to use. All too often, though,
investigating even if your chosen camera doesn’t come with one.
Size not only matters but varies when it comes to batteries. Many
cameras at the lower end of the price scale run on standard AA-size
batteries (normally four). They may be quite bulky, but they do have
the advantage that you can easily pick up a fresh set if you run low
on power when you’re out and about.
essential features end up being tucked away somewhere that is not
only difficult to access, but means that you’ve probably forgotten
where they are when you want to use them. A good interface can
mean the difference between getting the shot you want and
missing the moment.
Improve your memory
While conventional cameras store their images on film, digital
cameras stash their photos on removable memory cards. Some
cameras also have built-in flash memory, but even most of
these take optional memory cards as well. There’s a
wide variety of memory card formats, with Secure
Digital (SD), CompactFlash and Memory Stick
Getting flash
Budget digital cameras have only rudimentary flash facilities – on or
off. Some don’t have a flash unit at all, making night-time or indoor
shooting a non-starter. As you move up the price range, you should
find that more flash settings become available to you.
A popular flash option in most digital cameras is red-eye
DIGITAL ZOOM
This is very much the poor relation of optical zoom, and only used as a last resort to boost the zoom offered by
the lens. Similar to ‘interpolation’ on scanners, digital zoom tries to guess what lies between the pixels that the
camera can actually see, and fill in the missing dots. Jagged edges and lack of sharpness are the usual results
How many photos?
The number of photos you can fit on, say, an 8MB card depends on
the file size of the images; and the file size of the images depends
on a number of factors such as resolution, compression, colours, your
camera model, and the shooting conditions. For example, on the Minolta
DiMAGE X, a 1.9-megapixel camera, you will get seven bestquality shots on the 8MB SD card supplied. On the Nikon CoolPix 4500,
a 4-megapixel camera, you will only get one shot on its 16MB
CompactFlash card if you go for full size and resolution.
From card to PC
To transfer images that are stored on your flash
card to your PC, most cameras have a USB or
serial sockets. However, it’s time-consuming to
transfer images and can exhaust your camera’s
batteries. For quick access to your images, buy a
card reader that plugs into your PC.
You can transfer images from memory card to
your PC quickly and easily using a card reader
Getting your photos out of the camera and onto the PC should
features that image-editing software can
offer. Let’s say you’ve got a telephone wire
running across that beautiful blue sky in your
favourite holiday snap. With conventional film
photography, you’d be stuffed. In the digital realm, you can pick up
the cloning tool in your image editor and paint over the wires with
the adjacent strip of sky. With a little practice, the results will be
perfect: the same goes for painting over spots and blemishes on the
faces of your loved ones.
There will always be times when you want to have prints. Topquality photo printers like the Epson Stylus Photo 915 or Canon
S830D cost between £150 and £200, but you can get good results
from more affordable printers like Lexmark’s £100 Z65. To get the
best results, use proper glossy photo paper – preferably made by the
company that manufactured your printer. Bear this in mind and you’ll
get the best of both worlds: the versatility digital photography offers
be speedy, so beware of old digital cameras with a serial connection.
and stunning prints.
Making connections
Apart from compatibility problems with Windows XP, downloads
will be slow enough to make conventional film developing an
attractive option. USB is the way to go, offering downloads of
7
reduction. This flash mode fires off small pre-flash strobes to narrow
the pupils of your subject and decrease the effects of red-eye. Let’s
not forget that easy photo-manipulation is a huge bonus of digital
photography, though: with a software package like Paint Shop Pro or
Photoshop, you can quickly edit out red-eye after the event.
Another good flash mode to have up your sleeve is slow-sync
flash. This is great for night scenes where you want to keep
background detail while highlighting your main subject. It’s also
excellent for capturing night-time lights in cityscapes while
accentuating the foreground.
Most manufacturers have extensive websites, normally listing
each of their cameras’ specifications. Check what flash modes a
camera has while you’re deciding what to buy.
Image compression formats like JPEG can reduce file sizes
tenfold, enabling you to carry more images on your card, but with
some loss in quality.
7
Stick slots, for example, can increasingly be found in camcorders, PDAs,
and even phones, enabling you to share your cards – and therefore your
images – with other devices. The other crucial factor is price. At £30, 64MB
cards are relatively cheap, but larger capacity cards can cost up to £800.
Check the capture resolution before choosing your camera. The maximum resolution
is the maximum image size that the camera can capture, measured in pixels
seconds rather than minutes. Some of the newest cameras have
USB 2.0 ports to make transfers even quicker, but you’ll need a USB
2.0 card to take advantage.
Another option is to invest in a USB card reader, so you can simply
insert your card into the reader. They’re easy to use and won’t drain
your camera’s batteries during the transfer. Readers are readily
available for all memory card formats, including CompactFlash,
SmartMedia, Secure Digital (SD) and Memory Stick for around £20.
Making more of photos
With digital photography, taking photos is only the start. While it’s
impractical to install your own conventional film darkroom in the
home, all you need for creating dazzling special effects with digital
photos is a humble PC. There are some great photo-editing software
packages on the market, most well under £100. You might also get
some good software supplied with your camera.
Apart from sharpening up images, adjusting the brightness,
contrast and colour balance, and so on, there are plenty of useful
CLOSE-UP USING YOUR CAMERA
Anatomy
of a camera
The inside track on the most critical components
of a digital camera
t’s easy to let technology get the better of you but, taken
one at a time, the high-tech components that make up a
modern digital camera are surprisingly easy to come to
terms with. While prices and feature-sets can vary tremendously,
with models costing anything from £100 to £10,000, the basics
remain the same across the board.
Many of the components are similar, if not identical to those in
conventional film cameras, while others are modified or completely
different. But once you’ve got a grounding in what the salient parts
are for and how they work, the bigger picture is clear to see.
I
2
2
2
ZOOM LENS Most digital
camera zoom lenses provide
a 2x or 3x optical zoom
range, with a typical 35mmcamera-equivalent focal
length of around 35-70mm
or 35-105mm, respectively.
The zoom lens is almost
always motorised, so you can
adjust its setting with the
simple use of a pair of
buttons. The optical range of
the lens is usually enhanced
by a (not such high-quality)
digital zoom feature.
BATTERIES Even the most
efficient digital cameras need
a lot of power, which is why
most models now come with
Lithium-Ion rechargeable
cells. Some budget cameras
still stick to single-use AA
alkaline batteries, which is
convenient, but can prove
expensive if you use
the LCD to frame to
frame your shots.
2
MODE DIAL While all digital cameras have
automatic program modes for adjusting
shutter speed and lens aperture settings,
more advanced models also have
aperture-priority, shutter-priority and
metered manual-exposure modes. The
mode dial enables you to switch between
modes quickly and easily.
2
BUILT-IN FLASH Built-in flash
units on digital cameras
aren’t that powerful, but are
usually adequate for shooting
at distances of up to around
five metres in the dark, or for
providing fill-in flash for
backlit subjects. A common
flash mode includes red-eye
reduction, which is important
when the flash unit is
mounted close to the lens.
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You can find out more about latest camera technologies, hardware and prices at our
website, as well as helpful advice on how you can make the most of your photos. Simply
point your browser at www.digitalcameramagazine.co.uk
2
OPTICAL VIEWFINDERS Just like
a viewfinder on a compact
camera, this gives you an
approximate view of what will
fit into the composition of your
photo. It reacts correspondingly
to adjustment of the zoom
lens but, there will be small
changes in perspective when
you’re right up close, due to
the offset between the
viewfinder and the actual lens.
In this case, switch to viewing
the subject through the LCD
back panel.
2
2
PC CONNECTION Most
cameras now come with a
USB connector for rapid
image transfer between the
memory card and your
computer. A few models also
offer the even quicker USB
2.0 standard, but both
methods will rapidly drain
your camera’s batteries. A
separate memory card
reader (around £20) is
your best bet for
data transfer.
2
Price
Resolution
Lens
Memory
Battery life
Contact
2
VIDEO CONNECTION Want to
show off your photos on the
telly, or record a slideshow to
your VCR? The video output
featured on many digital
cameras enables you to
connect it to a
range of video
equipment.
CANON
POWERSHOT G3
LCD BACK PANEL Many people like to use the
LCD back panel for composing shots, but it
takes a heavy toll on battery life, so it’s best
to reserve its use for reviewing shots after
you’ve taken them, and for navigating the
camera’s set-up menu system. Cheaper
cameras tend to have relatively dim panels
that aren’t easy to see on sunny days.
2
THE CCD The Charge Coupled Device is the
imaging unit, where the camera changes picture
information into a digital code for storing on the
memory card. The CCD is similar to those used in
camcorders and some photo scanners.
TOP LCD PANELS The top panel commonly provides
basic camera information, like what quality setting or
flash mode is in use, as well as how many shots are
available before the memory card becomes full. It’s
also a good place to keep an eye on battery life.
2
MEMORY CARD SLOT Digital
cameras store photos on
removable memory cards
instead of conventional film.
There are a wide range of
formats and capacities, so
choose the one that best
meets your needs and
budget. Prices are falling
rapidly so you can snap up
64MB cards for as little as
£20, although larger capacity
cards are more convenient
when it comes to taking
photos on holiday or at
extended photo shoots.
£700
4 megapixels
f2.0-3.0 4x zoom
32MB Compact Flash
450/1,050 shots (monitor on/off)
www.canon.co.uk
CLOSE-UP CAMERA BASICS
JARGON:
3 IN DETAIL
WHERE TO BUY
While there’s always a lot to be said
for buying something in a shop and
walking away with it under your
arm, you can make great savings on
the net. As a case in point, we set
off in search of the Canon PowerShot
G3, which has an RRP of £699. The
best price we found on the high
street was at Jessops, who was
selling the G3 at £599. Online,
however, we saved a further £49 at
www.camerasdirect.co.uk, while
at www.empiredirect.co.uk it
was on sale for only £549 (plus it
also offers online finance from
£24.48 per month). Other good
places to try online include
www.1stcameras.com,
www.pixmania.co.uk and
www.unbeatable.co.uk. Also,
don’t forget to check out the ad
pages in Digital Camera Magazine
for some of the best deals around.
* WEB LINKS
MEGAPIXEL
Small focal length lenses produce a wide-angle effect, capturing a greater portion of a scene,
while long focal length lenses (telephoto) have a more telescopic effect. Focal lengths for digital
cameras are normally quoted the equivalent for a 35mm conventional film camera
Digital photos are made up from arrays of dots, or pixels, each with their own colour and
brightness. A 1-megapixel image contains one million dots, and a 1,600 x 1,200 pixel image
would be just under 2 megapixels
What camera?
There’s a wealth of camera styles on the market, with feature sets and price tags to suit
every need and budget. Which one’s right for you?
Y
ou can pick up a digital camera for under £50, or spend
over £5,000. With the wide spread of prices comes an
equally diverse range of options, but choosing the right
camera for you needn’t be a technological assault course. Let’s start
simple and work our way up.
Point and click
For the happy snapper, a £50 camera offers the ultimate in ease of
use – just point and shoot. There are no exposure settings to worry
about, no focusing required and no fancy settings to get to grip with.
Everything’s automatic. Almost as much a fashion accessory as a
digital camera, one example of this breed – the 0.1 megapixel Digital
Dream L’espion – even doubles as a key ring.
While sub-£50 are as cheerful as they are cheap, there’s precious
little to be had in terms of versatility and the usual maximum
resolution of 0.3 megapixels (640 x 480) is only really high
enough for emailing snaps to friends, rather than printing quality
photos. Most cameras in this price bracket only have a fairly small
amount of internal memory for storing shots, and can’t use memory
cards. This means you can only take a few photos before having to
download them to your PC and make space for more – not good for
taking on holiday.
WEBSITE
www.camerasdirect.co.uk are
totally up front about whether or not
items are in stock – something you
should always check for when
buying online.
2
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?
FOCAL LENGTH
All but the most basic digital cameras have a colour LCD back panel for reviewing
your shots, but using the LCD can be surprisingly tricky and battery-consuming
to a 38mm lens on a film compact – something between wide
angle and standard focal lengths. It’s much better to pay an extra
£50 or so and you’ll be spoiled for choice in the hotly contested
£200 market. For this money, you can expect to get a motorised
zoom lens with auto-focus, a good automatic metering system for
adjusting to a wide range of light levels, and sharp pictures of at
least 2 megapixels – just about big enough for decent 10 x 8-inch
prints via a desktop photo inkjet printer.
Compact but clever
The most popular type of digital camera is the zoom compact. These
are similar in looks and construction to traditional compact 35mm
The bigger picture
cameras, but offer all the advantages of digital. Starting at around
£150, cameras like the HP PhotoSmart 320 and Mustek MDC-3000
have built-in flash and can use interchangeable memory cards to
to go for a camera with at least 3 or 4 megapixels. In the current
market, that means moving up to a £300 camera, while top-
If you want optimum quality for full A4 printing, you really need
extend your shooting range. Once you’ve filled up one card with
of-the-range examples will cost £400 or more. Higher quality
optics, more zoom range and extra features (like advanced
shots, just slip another one in and keep on shooting.
The big drawback with cameras at this price is almost always
the lack of a zoom lens. They’re usually fitted with focus-free
shooting modes) will take the price up to around £1,000 or so on a
sliding scale. Spend more than this, and you should also get
the luxury of interchangeable lenses, like on a conventional 35mm
fixed-focal length lenses of around 5mm, which is roughly equivalent
SLR camera.
DIGITAL DREAM FUJI
L’ESPION
FINEPIX A202
RICOH
CAPLIO RR120
NIKON
COOLPIX 2500
KODAK
PENTAX
EASYSHARE DX4330 OPTIO 330RS
OLYMPUS
C4000Z
CANON
POWERSHOT G3
£600
SPECIFICATIONS
AT-A-GLANCE
STREET PRICE
£40
£150
£200
£250
£300
£370
£450
IMAGE SIZE
0.1MP
2.1MP
2.2MP
2MP
3.1MP
3.2MP
4MP
4MP
ZOOM LENS
No
No
38-114mm
37-111mm
38-114mm
37.5-112.5mm
32-96mm
34-102mm
MEMORY TYPE
2MB Internal
x-D card
SmartMedia
CompactFlash
Int plus MMC/SD
Int plus CF
MMC/SD
CompactFlash
BATTERIES
1 x AAA
2 x AA
4 x AA
4 x AA
2 x AA
Lith-Ion
4 x AA
Lith-Ion
MAINS
No
No
No
Yes
Opt
Opt
Opt
Yes
CCD
A Charge Coupled Device is an integrated circuit that converts image information into an
electrical signal. CCDs are very fast and accurate, and are also used in camcorders and scanners
MEMORY CARDS
The only limit to how many photos
you can take between download
sessions is the amount of available
memory you have. The good news
is that the cost of memory cards
has plummeted over the past few
years, so having several cards to
take with you when you go out
shooting is an affordable option.
The two most common formats
of memory card are SmartMedia
and CompactFlash. SmartMedia
cards are wafer thin and connect to
the camera via an exposed gold
edge connector, while chunkier
CompactFlash cards are a bit more
robust and have concealed
connections on one edge.
Relative latecomers to the
memory card market include
MultiMedia cards, SecureDigital
Memory cards, XD Picture cards and
Sony’s proprietary Memory Sticks.
All cards are available in a wide
range of capacities, from as little as
4MB up to 128MB or more,
depending on the type. When
choosing a card, you need to know
what format your camera takes but
do shop around as prices vary
considerably. A great place for
picking up memory cards on the
cheap is 7dayshop.com, at
www.7dayshop.com which, for
example, is currently offering 64MB
SmartMedia cards at £15.49, plus
95p post and packing.
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2
LENS Use the zoom lens for
image capture
FLASH Use flash when
lighting conditions are low
VIEWFINDER Use this lens for
shot composition
How it works
Digital cameras pack a lot of high technology into their diminutive
frames. Here’s the science bit…
n terms of optics, most compact digital cameras work in
pretty much the same way as a conventional compact
film camera. Unlike SLR cameras, a separate viewfinder
enables shot composition, free of the main image capturing lens, so
there’s no prism and flip-up mirror to complicate the process. The
principle difference is that, once the shutter opens, light falls onto a
CCD chip that converts all the image information into an electronic
signal rather than onto light-sensitive film. This is then processed into
digital data that is recorded on the camera’s internal memory, or a
slot-in memory card.
Apart from the very cheapest models on the market, most digital
for reviewing shots and for navigating the camera’s menu system.
The set-up menu is used in conjunction with various buttons to set
shooting modes and the quality of the shots.
For downloading your photos onto a computer, most modern
cameras use a USB connection, as it’s far faster than older style serial
port connections. If you’re stuck with a serial port camera, it’s worth
investing in a separate USB card reader to plug into your PC, which
should cost around £25.
The more you spend on a camera, the more frills you can expect
to get. These might include aperture or shutter priority exposure
modes, and fully manual modes as well as the ubiquitous program
auto-exposure mode. You’ll also get more megapixels for bigger
pictures and possibly a better zoom range. Other features might
cameras have a broadly similar set of kit. For optical quality, the
include the ability to capture short bursts of video and sound as well
most important part is the lens – usually a motor-driven zoom lens
offering focal lengths from wide angle to short telephoto. A small
as standard, still pictures.
I
Anatomy of a camera
flash unit is often close by, for low-level lighting shots, and the close
The more you spend on a
camera, the more frills you
can expect to get
3
3 IN DETAIL
2
proximity often leads to red-eye problems. This is why many digital
cameras incorporate red-eye flash mode, which fires a number of
pre-flash pulses to narrow a subject’s irises.
On the back of the camera, you can expect to find the LCD screen,
2
2
LCD The screen for
reviewing shots and
navigating the menu
NAVIPAD Menu
buttons for changing
the camera’s settings
MODE Buttons for
selecting individual
shooting modes
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2
Cards are available from 4MB up to
128MB or more. Check what format
you camera takes and shop around
CLOSE UP Get started
JARGON:
?
CAMERA SHAKE
Any movement in the camera while the shutter is open causes a blurring of the captured
image. The effect becomes more noticeable with longer exposures, or when using long
telephoto lenses, where keeping the camera still becomes critical
First shots
Get to grips with your new camera and take pictures to
treasure from the off, with our simple guide
igital photography is extremely beginner-friendly because
it’s such an immediate process – you can see straight
away if you’re doing something wrong when you’re out
with the camera. Experimentation is the fastest route to success but,
before you even take your camera out on the road, the first step is
to get intimately familiar with all the controls and functions.
Nobody finds operator’s handbooks a thrilling read but it really
pays to find out all the intricacies of how your camera works. Take
time to familiarise yourself with all the available shooting modes
and practise all the functions until they’re second nature. This can
D
be an expensive process with a film camera but with digital,
there’s no cost involved in practising shooting and evaluating the
results. Take photos of anything and everything, just to get a feel
for how things work.
On the button
The mechanical process of taking a photo isn’t just about a quick
dab on the shutter release button. Even in fully automatic mode,
your camera has a lot to do. A light press on the shutter release
will instigate the auto-focus and exposure metering systems, so
you need to allow time for this to happen. If you don’t, you might
be alarmed at the lag in response between pressing the shutter
release and the taking of the picture.
As you press more firmly on the shutter release to take the shot,
aim for a gentle squeeze rather than a sudden click. This will lessen
the effects of camera shake, which will produce blurred results.
Especially in low lighting conditions, which need longer shutter
speeds, camera shake can be a real problem so hold the camera
gently but firmly with two hands rather than just one, or rest
your hand on a convenient solid surface if possible. Finally,
don’t be in too much of a rush to release the pressure on
the shutter release and move the camera when you
think the exposure is completed.
* USEFUL INFO
DIGITAL ZOOM
Once you get going with your digital
camera, you might start thinking
that all things digital are good, but
this isn’t the case when it comes to
digital zoom. Cameras that don’t
have zoom lenses, and even most
that do, have a digital zoom option.
This magnifies the central portion of
the scene to fill the whole frame.
A camera with a 3X optical zoom
range from the lens and a
2X digital zoom would offer a total
zoom range of 6X. That seems like
good news but the digital zoom
process relies on the camera
guessing what’s in between the
pixels it can actually see and fudging
the results. What you typically get
out of all this is photos that lack
sharpness and have objects with
jagged edges, especially if there
are diagonal lines involved. For
the best results, keep the digital
zoom turned off and change your
viewing position when taking the
photo instead.
Ready to roll
If your camera has a zoom lens, you can zoom in or out to capture
the portion of the scene you want, without missing anything out or
capturing unnecessary periphery that will distract from the main
subject. Don’t make your zoom lens do all the work, though, as
moving your view point even a small amount can make a big
difference to shot composition, adding much more interest to
any scene.
Keep checking the effects of different shooting modes and
methods by downloading test shots to your PC and analysing them
on screen – even the best camera-based LCD panel is only any good
as a rough guide to photo quality. Once you’re familiar with all the
controls and confident enough to get into some serious shooting, it’s
time to get out and about. Before you go, though, make sure you
have fresh batteries that will last the distance and take spares if
needed. There’s nothing worse than missing shots because your
batteries are flat and you should always be aware that batteries
which look fresh in the warmth of your home can look very secondhand when they get into the cold outdoors. If you’re using
rechargeable batters, you don’t need to run them flat before
recharging unless they’re old-style NiCAD cells. More modern NiMH
equivalents don’t suffer from “memory effect” so you can top them
up at any time without worrying about impairing their useful life.
The golden rule of taking advantage of photo opportunities is to
have your camera with you. It might sound obvious but how many
of us have missed great shots simply because we left the camera at
home? With the small size of compact digital cameras, there’s no
excuse not to slip one into a spare pocket or bag when going out.
Close in on the target
As a general rule of thumb, the closer you are to a subject, the
better the results will be. Pick out the main person or object you
Compose your landscape shots according to the rule of thirds, where imaginary lines dissect the
image horizontally and vertically. Aim to make two-thirds of the image either land or sky, or split it
into equal thirds. Go to www.kodak.com/global/en/consumer/education/programs/composition
7
4
This is a drawback of using NiCAD rechargeable batteries. If they are repeatedly recharged without first
being completely discharged, the memory effect causes them to only be useful down to the previous
level of charge, effectively making them run out much sooner than expected.
N
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MEMORY EFFECT
COMPOSITION Always try to get some foreground detail into your landscape shots to
add interest and perspective to your pictures
TOP TIP
01
want to capture in a scene and move in for best effect. It’s tempting
to use the telephoto setting of a zoom lens to cut down the legwork
but you’ll end up losing depth of field, so only small parts of the
scene will be in focus, and the overall perception of space between
foreground and background objects will be flattened.
The exception that proves this rule is portrait photography. It’s
often best to keep some distance in this case as the close proximity
of a camera lens can be very off-putting for people being
photographed and they’ll look ill at ease and not very natural as a
AVOID FINGER TROUBLE
The viewfinder lens is separate to the main
image lens on a compact digital camera, so
it’s possible to have your finger obstructing
the main lens without even seeing it
through the viewfinder. Mind where
you put your hands!
TOP TIP
02
POWER UP
result. The small depth of field, throwing the background out of focus
can also make the person stand out much better in the composition.
Another good trick for taking portraits is to get people to carry on
Even if you think your batteries are really
fresh, take a spare set with you, especially
if it’s cold out. Also, switch off the camera’s
LCD panel whenever possible to conserve
battery life.
doing whatever they’re doing, rather than assuming static poses
with a fake grin plastered across their face. Again, you don’t have
film and processing costs to worry about, so take a series of photos
TOP TIP
in quick succession and you’ll find the one that comes out best
normally isn’t the one you thought would be just right.
Simple shots nearly always work best. Fussy backgrounds and
compositions produce photos where everything is vying for attention
and nothing stands out. If you can’t compose all the elements in a
picture yourself, like in landscape photography, take time to move
around and experiment with different vantage points, as well as
changing the height you’re shooting from, to simplify photos as
much as possible.
Whole books have been written about landscape photography but
if there’s one thing you need to know, it’s that you should always try
and include foreground objects in your photos. Grand vistas lose a lot
in the translation when reduced to a photographic image, so you
need foreground objects to give a sense of scale and perspective.
GET MORE SUPPORT
7
Don’t be fussy
03
OFF-CENTRE Moving your main subject to the side of your frame makes for a more
natural picture, especially if it’s a posed shot like this one
Be off-centre
It’s a common mistake to always put the main subject of a photo
slap dab in the middle of the frame. With portrait shots, you can
easily end up with something that looks like it should be stuck in the
back page of your passport, whereas moving the main subject
elsewhere within the boundaries of the overall composition can
make things much more interesting.
One thing to be aware of when shooting the main subject offcentre is that most auto-focus lenses adjust themselves to make
whatever’s in the middle of the shot sharp. This can throw the object
To avoid camera shake in low light
conditions, use a tripod if possible. If not,
rest your hand or elbow on anything sturdy
that’s available, or crouch down and rest
your elbow on your knee if all else fails.
TOP TIP
04
KEEP IT WARM
If you leave your camera somewhere cold,
like in the boot of a car overnight, the lens
will mist up with condensation when you
bring it in to the warm. This isn’t a problem
the other way around so always keep your
camera somewhere warm if possible.
DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINEFIRST STEPS|013
CLOSE UP Get started
JARGON:
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These dedicated modes attempt to select all the camera’s ideal exposure settings for a wide range of different shooting
conditions and types of scene, such as backlit portraits, city night scenes and so on, effectively giving you expert
knowledge at the press of a button. However, they’re not infallible
IN DETAIL
Auto focus
7
If the auto-focus system in your
camera is trying to focus on a
moving target, it can keep hunting
and lose the plot completely. Also, if
a scene has little contrast or
definition in it, like a hazy
landscape, the camera can’t find
anything to focus on in the first
place. Either case means that you
can end up missing the shot.
To get around the problem, see
if your camera has a manual focus
mode and then use this to focus on
an area into which the fast moving
object will be travelling, or, in the
other case, pick your own point in
that hazy distant landscape. The
only drawback is that many
cameras simply don’t have a
manual focus mode. What they
do tend to have instead, though,
is manual options that enable you
to set the lens focus to infinity or to
a length of around 2.5 metres, at
the press of either of a couple of
buttons. This suits most
eventualities when auto-focus fails.
CLOSE UP A telephoto zoom setting
and wide lens aperture produce a small
depth of field, ideal for throwing the
background out of focus
THE SIZE ISSUE
In digital photography, the camera resolution
affects the sort of shot you can reproduce
Many digital cameras coming onto the market boast four, five or even six
megapixel capability, but how many do you really need? If you’re
intending to view your photos purely on screen, the maximum resolution
you’ll probably need is 1024x768 pixels, which equates to less than a
single megapixel. A typical 2 megapixel camera, shooting at 1600x1200
resolution will allow you the luxury of cropping pictures slightly without
having to enlarge them to fill the screen, losing quality as a result.
Things get a bit more complicated when printing, as sharp prints on photo
quality paper demand much higher resolutions. For example, a 10x8 inch
print from an inkjet printer really needs a minimum of 3 megapixels,
though you can get away with 2 megapixels if the printer has built-in
smoothing in its software driver for printing digital photos.
It’s not just the resolution that you’re shooting at that has a major
effect on image quality, but the degree of compression you choose.
For example, a 2 megapixel camera shooting in high quality mode
might squeeze 128 shots onto a 64MB memory card, but this will drop
to just 45 shots in super-high-quality mode, or increase to around 650
in standard mode.
In standard quality settings you can be assured of some unpleasant
compression artefacts in your photos, though most of these will be ironed
out in high quality mode. For the best quality, you simply have to bite the
CCD: This is the heart of the camera, where resolution determines image
quality dependent on compression and the size of the prints you reproduce
Fully exposed
next to each other. If you’re not careful, the camera still focuses on
the empty space between your two subjects, bringing something in
the far-off background into perfect sharpness while leaving both
these modes with dedicated scene modes, for portrait, landscape,
backlit and other types of photo.
While the basic Programme mode usually gets things right, it
your main subjects horribly blurred. To beat the problem, focus on
one of your subjects and then swivel the camera round to
recompose the shot.
pays to learn how different aperture and shutter speeds affect your
photography, so you can use them to best effect. In aperture-priority
mode, you can adjust the aperture to the setting you want and the
Send in the clouds
camera’s light meter will adjust the shutter speed accordingly. Small
apertures have large F numbers, like F11 or F16, and give you a long
depth of field, bringing near and far objects into focus. However, this
essential for the best results. However, that’s seldom the case; in
fact the opposite can be true since gloomier atmospheric conditions
can make for fantastic landscape and portrait shots.
7
3
you’re photographing out of focus. If the object is to one side of the
centre, lightly press and hold the shutter release with the object in
the centre of the frame and then, while still maintaining that
pressure on the shutter release, recompose the shot before finally
releasing the shutter.
The same rule applies when taking photos of two people standing
A lot of photographers seem to assume that bright sunny days are
PANNING Using a small lens aperture
and wide angle zoom setting, you can
keep near and far objects in focus with
long depth of field
bullet and accept the fact that you’ll get relatively few shots on your
memory card in super-high-quality mode but another annoying spin off is
that the camera takes longer to write all that extra data to the memory
card, meaning it won’t be ready to take subsequent shots for a longer
period of time after each exposure. To get things right for every type of
use, experiment with your own camera in all the quality and image size
modes you have available.
7
3
SCENE MODES
When you’re shooting portraits, forget what your camera manual
tells you about having the sun over your shoulder so that your
subject is illuminated by the sun. This simply means that your
subject will have the sun in their eyes and you’ll end up with a
perfectly lit shot of them squinting into the lens.
However, it’s equally true that harsh shadows can ruin a good
portrait, which is why some of the best people shots are
taken on a cloudy day, when even, soft lighting allows
for natural expressions and flattering results to
come through.
The easiest and most convenient method of exposure control is to
use the fully automatic exposure mode, or Program mode offered by
a digital camera. However, many cameras also offer aperture-priority,
shutter-priority and metered-manual modes, giving you more
freedom of expression. Other cameras supplement or substitute
will mean longer shutter speeds, and there’s a danger that camera
shake could be a problem. Large lens apertures of F2.8 or F4 give
you a small depth of field, ideal for isolating objects against a blurred
backdrop, and you’ll get the bonus of faster shutter speeds for
sharper handheld images.
Shutter/aperture priority
Shutter-priority modes work the same way, but you decide on the
shutter speed you want and let the camera work out the aperture
setting. To freeze fast-moving objects, you need to go for as fast a
shutter speed as possible in the available lighting conditions, or use
the camera’s built-in flash for short-range shots. Last but not least,
metered manual mode gives you full flexibility over both aperture
and shutter speed, and is useful if you want to take a light reading
from the main object in a scene with complex lighting conditions.
7
7
A subtle flash mode which is used to fire a low-level flash is sufficient to illuminate areas of
shadow in a backlit scene
PRE-FOCUS So that you don’t miss the action, pre-focus the camera by lightly pressing
the shutter release button, then wait for the right moment to take the shot
PANNING Following fast-moving objects by “panning” the camera, even while the shutter is open, creates motion blur in the
background and gives the illusion of speed. Use a slow shutter speed for the best effect here
*
USEFUL INFO
AS SEEN ON TV
Being flash
The flash is the most neglected part of most digital cameras. It’s
not just there for shooting in the dark and can add a lot to creative
compositions. For example, if you want to photograph someone in
bright sunlight, it’s often best to have them turn their back to the
sun so that they’re backlit and then to illuminate their face with
the flash. This technique is called “fill flash” and it usually works very
well. But don’t just save the effect for sunny day portraits – it’s also
great for making objects stand out in bright surroundings, day or
night, so check if your camera has a setting for forcing the flash to
fire even if its metering system thinks there’s enough light in the
scene and doesn’t want to use the flash.
Another popular flash setting is the anti red-eye flash. However,
Computer screens and print-outs
aren’t the only place to view your
photos. Many digital cameras
feature a video output as well as
the more common USB port for
connecting them to a PC. You can
use the video output to connect
them to any TV set that has a video
input and, if they don’t, they’ll
probably still have a SCART
connector which you can buy an
adaptor for so that you can connect
the digital camera direct to the TV.
Using this setup, you can view
photos you’ve taken without the
hassle of downloading them first.
we would strongly advise against using it. The rapid firing of light
EXPOSURE
SETTINGS
If there’s one straightforward rule for portrait photography it’s always focus on the eyes.
Use your image editor to sharpen eyes, remove unsightly blood vessels or shadows, plus
darken and enlarge pupils for that friendly, dilated look…
4
N
IO
AT
RM
FO
IN
FILL FLASH
pulses to narrow your subject’s irises and reduce red-eye will only
put them on edge and jeopardise natural-looking results. A much
better idea is to edit any red-eye out of the shot afterwards using an
image editing package – that’s what they’re there for.
Keep a check
If a shot is important to you, don’t wait until you get home and
download your images before finding out that it hasn’t worked.
Check your valued shots as you take them, reviewing them on the
camera’s LCD panel. It might not show the finer points of a shot but
at least you’ll be able to tell if your subject has blinked, or if
something else has gone disastrously wrong. A digital camera gives
the beginner so much freedom to experiment that you’d be foolish
to waste the opportunity of checking your pictures as you go. You’ll
also be able to delete unsuccessful shots after taking them, freeing
up space on your camera’s memory card for more good shots to
take home.
Assuming that your camera’s Programme mode suggests an exposure setting 1/125th of a
second at F8, here’s how alternative apertures work out for a range of different shutter speeds.
The overall exposure is the same in each case, but there’s differing depth of field and
susceptibility to camera shake to consider
SHUTTER SPEED
APERTURE
DEPTH OF FIELD
CAMERA SHAKE ALERT
1/30
F22
Excellent
Wide angle to telephoto
1/60
F11
Very Long
Standard to telephoto
1/125
F8
Long
Short to long telephoto
1/250
F5.6
Average
Medium to long telephoto
1/500
F4
Short
Very long telephoto
1/1000
F2.8
Very Short
Safe
1/2000
F1.9
Minimal
Safe
CLOSE-UP DEVELOPING PHOTOS
JARGON:
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TRANSPARENCY ADAPTOR
This is a unit that sits above a flatbed scanner’s platen (often replacing the lid) and contains a light source and mounting system for
holding transparencies. It enables film, such as 35mm slides or negatives, to be scanned in, instead of the more usual ‘reflective
scanning’ process for paper-based prints
Digital
darkroom
There’s no need to black out the room or splash around in nasty chemicals.
Digital developing is quick, clean and powerful
* USEFUL INFO
PROFESSIONAL PRINTING
Even the best dedicated photo inkjet printers can make your paperbased prints look a bit, well, inky. For
the very best results, it pays to use a
professional printing service. The
easiest way to do this is to take your
camera into a high street digital
developer and choose the shots you
want printed. However, we’d
recommend editing your photos first
in your digital darkroom, before
taking the memory card into the
shop for printing the images.
Another option is not to go to the
shops at all, but to order your prints
online. Do shop around, though,
because prices can vary considerably.
Bonusprint charges just 25p for a 6 x
4 inch photo, while Jessops’ prices
are slightly higher at 34p. PhotoBox
is another popular UK digital printer
and, while the price of 49p per print
is expensive, this drops if you order
larger quantities. Similarly, Fujicolor
charges 45p per print, without
discounts for larger quantities.
Another bonus is that you
don’t have to have your prints on
paper, because ‘gift’ ideas often
include T-shirts, mouse mats, place
mats, mugs and so on. Check
out all the online suppliers for a full
list of options.
hen it comes to photography, digital cameras and
computers are like two sides of an equation – one
without the other doesn’t quite add up. Even with
conventional film photography, much of the truly creative work is
done in the dark, as printing experts bring out the full potential of
a photo – something that’s always been denied to all but the most
fervent amateurs. In the digital domain, though, setting up a
darkroom is as easy as plonking a computer on a desk and
connecting your camera to it. Mind you, there are still a few
important points to bear in mind.
W
from excellent music and movie features built in, there are
brilliant facilities for organising, viewing and even creating
slideshows and screensavers from your digital photos, using
nothing more than Windows itself. When it comes to compatibility,
most of the world talks PC rather than Mac.
How much?
When it comes to choosing a computer, the basic choice boils
down to whether you go for an Apple Mac or a PC. Apples are
easier to use, especially if you’ve never used a computer before,
With continually increasing performance and static or falling prices,
you can expect to get a great PC without breaking the bank.
Unlike gameplay, digital photography doesn’t demand the fastest
processing or most exotic hardware, so you don’t need ‘bleeding
edge’ technology. One particularly good PC manufacturer is
Evesham, on 0870 160 9500 or www.evesham.com, who are
better than most for technical support and are currently offering
AMD Athlon 1700+ based PCs, complete with 17-inch screens,
and are still the darlings of professional image-manipulation
experts. However, PCs give you much more processing power per
pound, and offer you a lot more choice when it comes to buying
from as little as £499.
Coupled with the right software (see page 18), a PC of this
specification is more than up to whatever your digital camera can
software and extras.
One of the things that has let the PC down slightly in the past
has been its fiddly operating system, which was anything but
throw at it. And when it comes to throwing images at the PC, the
preferred method is USB. Older cameras relied on serial port
connections, which were incredibly slow by comparison. USB is
intuitive. That’s been well and truly put right with Windows XP,
much faster and the new USB 2.0 standard is 40x faster again,
though few cameras currently have the new version installed.
What system?
though, which offers many benefits for digital media users. Apart
Subscribe to MSN 8 and get your free copy of Picture It! Express – a digital darkroom
that enables you to share pictures in email
7
Bonusprint www.bonusprint.com
Fujicolor Use www.msn.co.uk
Jessops www.jessops.com
MSN Photos http://photos.
msn.co.uk
PhotoBox www.photobox.co.uk
Supanet www.supanet.com
7
CLICK HERE
Create your own online community and share your digital photos with the world at
http://photos.msn.co.uk, which enables you to add, view and share photos online
AMD ATHLON
This is a popular rival make and model of PC processor to the Intel Pentium 4
chip, offering excellent performance at a slightly more competitive price
3 IN DETAIL
Jessops has its own complete software package for ordering prints online, which
you can download for free at www.jessops.com
Perfect printing
The second most important piece of kit for your digital darkroom,
after the PC itself, is a good quality photo inkjet printer. The
difference between these and standard colour inkjet printers is
that standard models work on a four-colour system, creating all
the available colours at their disposal by mixing CMYK inks (cyan,
magenta, yellow and black). However, dedicated photo printers
almost always use an extra two colours, adding ‘photo cyan’ and
‘photo magenta’ to bring the total number of ink chambers up to
six. This allows much more accurate reproduction of the vivid
colours found in photography that can’t be produced with a simple
four-colour process.
High-quality photo printers, with massively high print
resolutions start at surprisingly cheap prices. The Epson Stylus
We reckon that using a digital
camera without a PC is pretty
barmy but, if you’re determined
not to give house room to a
computer, you can just about do
without the technology. Some
printers, the best of which are
supplied by HP, can accept memory
cards direct from your digital
camera and have all the controls for
colour printing, complete with an
information and menu screen, built
into the printer itself.
This enables you to use the
printer as a complete printing
system for your digital camera but,
of course, you’ll have to forego
most of the other advantages of
sharing your photos online,
emailing them to friends and so on,
unless you have a PC on your desk
at work and a particularly
understanding boss.
digital from now on, the chances are that you’ve got a few
albums’ worth of prints lying around as well. With a scanner, you
can digitise these quickly and efficiently, building them into your
computer-based photo albums and editing the images with
software on your PC – just as you would with native digital photos.
Flatbed scanners always work best but you don’t need anything
with a higher resolution than 600dpi for scanning photos. The
exception is if you want to scan transparencies as well, in which
case you should go for a 1,200dpi or 2,400dpi scanner. You can
get dedicated film scanners but they’re very expensive, whereas
the quality on flatbed scanners with transparency adaptors has
become very good over the past year or so, thanks to better CCD
technology in the imaging units (similar to that used in a digital
camera itself). As for printers, top companies for scanners include
Epson and HP, though Canon is currently our pick of the crop.
Get online
One of the biggest pains of prints on paper is that they have to
physically be in the same room as the person who wants to see
them. That might sound obvious, but it really does pose a huge
problem if you want to share your photos with friends and family
around the country, or even around the world. Thanks to the net,
7
7
WHO NEEDS IT?
The easiest way of getting
your photos online is to join
an online community
HP’s standalone Photosmart 7550
photo printer sells for around £270. For
more info, call HP on 08705 474 747
though, you can make your digital photos available to anyone,
anywhere on the planet. Even if they don’t have a PC, they can
pop into their nearest library or internet café to browse your shots.
Digital photography doesn’t
demand the fastest processing
or most exotic hardware…
The easiest way to get your photos online is to join an online
community, like the ones hosted on Microsoft’s MSN Photos. This
system enables you to sign up for free and then create your own
Photo 830 is a good example, combining high-speed, six-colour
printing and a top print resolution of 5,760dpi (dots per inch) at a
pictures that they’ve put in the public domain, though you get the
final say over who is allowed to see your own work (see
street price of around £95. One thing you do have to watch for,
http://photos.msn.co.uk for details).
The much vaunted MSN 8 adds even more features, but it does
though, is the price of consumables. Premium quality glossy photo
paper can work out at around 70p per A4 sheet and the ink to
cover it can cost that much again. Always check the price of
replacement ink cartridges and how long they’re estimated to last
before choosing an inkjet printer – all the most popular
manufacturers supply this information online.
Scanning alternatives
Another item that should be high on your shopping list is a good
quality scanner. Even though you might be shooting exclusively
community for showcasing your shots, which you can arrange into
individual categories and portfolios. Naturally, you can also join up
to other online communities at MSN Photos to view other people’s
cost £6.99 per month to subscribe to the service (after a two
month free trial period). The photography benefits include more
space to create your online collections, and a ‘free’ copy of the
surprisingly feature-rich Microsoft Picture It! Express 7.0 for editing
and enhancing your images, and adding special effects. Find out
more about MSN 8 subscriptions at www.msn.co.uk.
The one essential ingredient for any digital darkroom is a good
image-editing package. To find out how to pick the best, just turn
the page…

frame google image qualitypics result

Transcription

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