The Magic of Digital Photography

1. The Magic of Digital Photography A Presentation by John O’Sullivan to the Bray Camera Club January 2006

2. Introduction • Tonight's topic is “Digital Film and stuff like that” if you where hoping to learn some new knitting patterns you’re at the wrong event, so leave now. • Please try to keep awake, there will be a little quiz at the end (but no prizes given) • Any questions will be answered at the end of the presentation

3. Agenda • Types of Digital Cameras Available • The Digital SLR • Difference between Digital and Film • Digital Sensors Explained • Types of Digital Film/Memory Cards • Setting up a Digital Darkroom • Choosing the right Software • Where to get more Information

4. So what will I get out of this then? • Apart from a free Eye Test, You’ll learn the main features associated with Digital Capture • You will no longer feel anxious about using a digital Camera • Just as CD has not fully replaced Vinyl and Video has not replaced your local flea pit, Digital Cameras will NOT replace Film Cameras we hope, Or do we?

5. Vocabulary • DSLR - Digital SLR • Pixel – Picture Element, Digital photos are comprised of millions of them • Megapixel – Equal to 1 Million Pixels • CCD - Charged Couple Device • Photoshop - photo editing software • PC - Personal Computer • USB - Universal Serial Bus • Compact flash - Digital Film • JPEG - Image file type • CD - Compact Disk

6. Photographic Pathways

7. Digital Pathways

8. Types of Digital Cameras • Entry Level - 1.3 to 2.1 Million Pixels examples are mobile phones Fuji Finepix etc.. • Mid Compact 3.34 to 4 Mega Pixels eg Canon Powershot G1, Nikon 4300 • Digital SLRs 6 - 12MPixels e.g. Nikon D70/100,Canon 20D,Canon 350D, Nikon D2X • Medium Format Digital Back - up to 39MPixels • More Pixels More money, Bigger Prints!

9. Some Cameras Available Entry Level 1.3 to 2Mega Pixel Price Range €150 to €250 Mid Range 3 to 4 Mega Pixel Price Range €300 to €500 Top end 5 to 12Mega Pixel Price Range €1500 to €6000

10. A Typical 4 Million Pixel Camera The Nikon 4300 will easily produce prints of up to A4 (10x8) and above in size

11. Medium Format Digital Route

12. Anatomy of a Digital SLR

13. Some DSLR's Available Nikon D2X 12.1 MB Nikon D100 6.1MB

14. Differences between Film and Digital • Film and digital make use of light energy to make some change to light sensitive material. • Film is constructed of light sensitive material arranged in random patterns called grain. • Film grain responds to light energy based on the levels of the three primary colours, Red, Green & Blue.

15. Digital • The light sensitive material in a digital camera is called the photo sensor. • The photo sensor generates electrical signals based on the levels of light energy hitting the sensor. • The photo sensor is comprised of millions of small cells called pixels. • The cells are covered by red, green and blue filters with the majority cover by green filters as green is the colour of light that the human eye is most sensitive to.

16. Resolution • The number of individual cells on the photo sensor determines the number of dots that will make up the final picture. • The larger the number of dots, the greater the quality of the image recorded. • This image quality is often termed the resolution and is typically referred to as the number of mega-pixels.

17. Sensor Size • Digital SLRs typically have a smaller sensor than a 35mm frame. • The cost and complexity of sensor technology dictates that all but the most expensive SLRs use this smaller size (Same as APS Negative). • The effect of the smaller sensor is to narrow the field of view so the effective focal length of lenses is different when used on digital cameras.

18. Effective Focal Length • Most digital cameras have a field of view that corresponds to 1.5 X the focal length. • So a 100mm lens becomes 150mm and a 300mm becomes a 450mm. • This feature is great for increasing the effective length of long lenses • The downside is that an 18mm lens is required to simulate the effect of a 28mm lens on a film camera. • So an ultra wide angle lens is required in addition to the digital camera

19. Sensor Size and Field of View

20. Digital Memory Cards Explained • 5 Major Digital Memory Card Types • Smartmedia - Fuji and Olympus Cameras • SD and XD - Fuji Cameras • Memory Stick - Sony • Compact Flash - Nikon, Canon, Kodak,Fuji, Pentax, Minolta (most DSLR) • Card Sizes vary from 16MB to 8GB depending on card type. Lexar and Sandisk good reliable Brands. • All cards are reusable • 512MB card will store 150 High Quality Images

21. Some Types of Memory Cards

22. What about Future Developments? • What can we expect? • More Pixels! will eventually settle down to maybe 25MP only Nikon ,Canon etc can answer this one. • Larger Sensors. Full frame i.e. size of 35mm • Faster cycle times • Larger capacity memory cards min 8GB • Remember digital has only been around for less than 10 years, a lot will change over the next decade

23. The Digital Darkroom, What you need

24. Choosing the Best Software • Depends on what you want to do. • Use Adobe Photoshop Elements Version 2/3/4 or Paintshop pro for basic photo editing. Reasonably priced for Mac and PC • For serious work try Photoshop Version CS/CS2 - Very Expensive • You will need Windows XP or Mac OS X for latest versions, older versions will run on Windows 98/ME/2000, Mac OS 8/9 • For Slide shows use Adobe Photo Album for PC or iPhoto for Apple Mac

25. I Hope I Haven't Confused You

26. Where to Get More Information • The WEB, www.dpreview.com, www.adobe.com, www.luminous-landscape.comwww.fredmiranda.com • The Bray Camera Club, feel free to ask any of our Digital Experts

27. Summary • We’ve discovered how Fantastic our Digital life’s will be!!! • Plenty of Good Books are available check out your local library. Night Course’s are available in the Bray area on Digital photography and Photoshop • Any Questions??????

28. The End Thank you for your interest Good Night.