Proper care of a DSLR

2010-03-08T12:36:29Z

I just took the DSLR plunge with a refurbished Canon XSi from Adorama. Generally speaking, the manual and various sites I've looked at online have been pretty clear about what kind of conditions are toxic to the unit.

However, I have two very specific questions that weren't addressed:

When storing it in my camera bag, is it safe to leave one of the lenses attached to the body, or is it better to always detach the lens, cap both sides of it and cap the body?
I am a cigar smoker (as if my gravatar didn't give that away). I know that ideally the camera would simply stay away from smoke altogether, but that's quite honestly not possible. What steps should I take to minimize the impact (if any) of cigar smoke on the sensor?

Info on the PocketWizard

2009-10-06T03:19:26Z

I'm thinking of buying the PocketWizard and would appreciate some feedback on the product.

How to clean the sensor of a digital SLR?

2009-10-06T01:30:48Z

I have a Canon XTi and I've recently noticed some dust spots in my images. I've tried using the ultrasonic self-cleaning mechanism, which usually gets the job done, but there are a few spots that just won't seem to go away.

Does anyone have any suggestions for tutorials or kits? I'd like to do it myself if possible, but obviously I don't want to damage my sensor.

Thanks!

Good Photo Camera Bag with computer compartment

2010-01-31T20:22:36Z

I'm looking for a backpack that will take a DSLR a 14" laptop and some other stuff. I'm going on a 2/3 week trip to China and I wan't a camera that Will carry everything I need for a day Trip.

I've done some hunting and so far the top candidates are the LowePro CompuRover and the Tamrac 5549 Adventure 9 The Tamrac is cheaper but the lowepro looks nicer. There is also the Lowepro Fastpack 350 which has the advantage of being much cheaper but looks rubbish.

Does anyone know of any good alternatives? The Lowepro is the nicest looking but it's also the most expensive, and is a bit too big for UK budget airlines (I'm willing to bet I could get it through though)...

Does anyone have any other suggestions? Or is willing to recommend one of the above?

Is DNG worth it?

2010-01-29T21:57:01Z

Right now I store my RAW images as CR2 directly from the camera and sometimes people recommend using DNG when importing images to store them in a more standard and compatible long term archiving format.

But, is DNG worth it? Does it have any valuable advantage over CR2 (or other camera vendor RAW format)?

How do I copyright my photos?

2009-10-06T02:11:22Z

I've heard that copyrights are more defensible if you register them. How can I go about doing that? Do you have to send in a form, or is it something that you can do online? Is it worth doing for all of my photos, or just ones that I plan to publish?

What is your media backup strategy?

2009-10-16T19:31:05Z

I have been experiencing night terrors recently because I realize I do not have a decent backup strategy. I have a MacBook pro with boatloads of images and I have a Netgear ReadyNAS storage device at home which I have been manually copying my photos to (when I get around to thinking about it). I tried using Mozy Pro for a year, but my uplink connection (Comcast is my ISP) was so friggen slow that within 11 months Mozy was never able to completely upload the initial backup.

I am considering Jungle Disk for remote backups and ChronoSync for local backups to my ReadyNAS.

What is your backup strategy? I appreciate your help!

Do you use Aperture or Lighroom?

2010-02-16T11:42:06Z

Each has its advantages, but which one do you use and why are you so happy with it?

Flickr, Picasa, DeviantArt or other photo site?

2009-10-11T16:11:31Z

I am a new photographer and I need a personal gallery for my photo but there is a lot of sites that give you this service and I don't know which I choose? Flickr], Picasa, DeviantArt? or if you have a another choice that you see it best?

Has Any tried this picture host? smartypix.com

2009-10-11T20:01:19Z

I am looking to store photos online. I saw smartypix.com. Have you used them?

Is there any reason not to buy a Luma Loop?

2010-02-18T16:15:01Z

This isn't really a question, but I'm so happy with my Luma Loop that I'm wondering why Canon or any other camera manufacturer didn't yet buy Luma Laps.

So: Is there any reason not to buy a Luma Loop? :-)

Using Canon EOS 550d with CANON EF-S 17-85mm F/4.0-5.6 IS USM

2010-02-16T12:42:12Z

I'm currently using an EOS 400D (Digital Rebel XTi) with a CANON EF-S 17-85mm F/4.0-5.6 IS USM for family and nature pictures.
Since I like the HD Movie features of the EOS 550D (Digital Rebel T2i) a lot I thought replacing the 400D body with the 550D and keeping the CANON EF-S 17-85mm F/4.0-5.6 IS USM.

Is this a good combination?
Will this lens be 'good enough'?

What is a good entry-level SLR?

2009-10-06T02:20:19Z

I took a photography class back in high school using film cameras. Since then I've only really used point and shoots, but I would like to get back into it. I don't have a huge budget, maybe $400-$600. I'm not looking for anything fancy, just enough to take good pictures. What cameras would you recommend I look at? Are used cameras obsolete, or can I save some money by going that route?

Is a UV Filter worth it?

2010-01-25T17:02:07Z

The common advice is to put a UV filter (or other "clear" filter) on each and every lens you own to add a physical layer of protection over the front glass. Is this really a good idea? What do you do?

Fixing a Rattling Filter

2010-01-23T17:13:08Z

I have a UV filter that's come loose from its housing and now rattles every time it moves. Is there any way to fix this without messing it up?

Does anyone have experience with monobath film developing?

2010-01-22T04:57:14Z

Has anyone personally tried developing black and white film in a monobath solution (developer and fixer combination)? If so, how did you prepare the monobath, did you find it easier than working with developer, stop and fixer, and do you feel the look of the film was noticeably different and how?

Rebel XS / 1000D hack for spot metering

2010-01-18T15:47:51Z

Has anyone seen a firmware hack for the Canon Rebel XS / 1000D ?

Recover pictured from Goosed SD card.

2009-12-07T14:20:31Z

I recently had one of my SD corrupted by one of those autoprint machines in a chemist now every time I put it in my camera the camera fails to recognise there is a Card in there.

My computer offers to format it.

Is there a piece of software I can use to try and recover some images from my card? I'd backed up most of my images to Flickr but there are a few that I'd taken that day that I'd like to get out.

When will cameras with geotagging built in be more available?

2010-01-10T15:32:43Z

Hi,

I love the idea of geotagging photos, but there are so few cameras that actually have it built in. There's the iPhone, that Nikon camera and that's about it.

When will more cameras be available that geotag photos with no add-ons required? Are there any models scheduled for release in the next year or so?

Reverse Macro Rings

2009-11-13T15:47:04Z

Is it worth getting a reverse macro ring to do macro photography on the cheap?

Absolute F/stop numbers: relationship to shutter + aperture

2009-12-24T18:28:36Z

I've discovered that my Sunpak 383 flash won't work automagically with my Nikon D70s since they don't talk much with each other. That's not great, but I can revert to manual mode on my 383 and still get some use out of it.

There are 3 measurement scales on my 383 to assist in getting the right exposure:

ISO
Distance to subject in feet
F/stop

I understand the first two because they're pretty self-explanatory. It's the last one that confuses me.

It lists the F/stop with numbers that correspond to the typical aperture sequence (2, 2.8, 4, 5.6, etc). However, there's nothing that suggests a shutter speed. Obviously, setting the aperture to this number without considering shutter speed isn't going to lead to the correct exposure. I've also seen this sort of absolute f/stop numbering system in other places (ex: light meters).

Is there a way to take a single f/stop number and create an equivalent aperture/shutter combination(s)? (Or is there a chance that my flash f/stop scale refers to aperture and is assuming a specific constant shutter speed?)

Filter size investment, step up & down rings

2009-12-07T19:19:07Z

I recently stepped up to Nikon DSLR equipment from a Panasonic FZ-20. I currently have a bevy of lenses with the following filter sizes:

52 mm
55 mm
67 mm
72 mm

I also have a Hama 72 mm collapsible rubber hood which I quite like.

My old polarizer is 62 mm so it's not terribly useful. I want to get a new one, and ideally I'd like to not have to replace it due to lens size changes (again).

I'm considering getting a 77 mm CPL filter. There happens to be NIB Hoya 77 mm one for sale on my local Craigslist. It's a pretty good price compared to what I could get at retail.

77 mm is somewhat attractive to me since it will almost certainly be the largest filter I'll need as my lens collection grows. However, 72 mm would probably suit me well to, as the lenses I've been looking at have all been 72 mm or less. I've checked out a few 77 mm lenses (in particular the Nikkor 12-24mm f/4 AF-S DX), and they're enticing, but probably more than I need for right now.

Stepping up from my <72 mm lenses to 72 mm or 77 mm seems like the right way to go. However, I'm not in a hurray to lose/replace my 72 mm hood. So I'm considering getting the 77 mm CPL and then getting a 72mm step-down ring to mount the hood on it.

My question is whether or not this is a crazy idea. I know that this will probably cause vignetting on a real 77 mm lens (especially for the wide-angle lens I'd probably get). But given that I'm not in the market for a 77 mm lens right at this moment, I'm wondering if it's worth the trouble. What do the experts think?

Contact prints off an LCD?

2009-12-02T08:06:35Z

Making a contact print between an inverted grayscale image on an LCD screen and a sheet of resin coated photographic paper should seem like a simple task but I've been having trouble with getting mine sharp.

Has anyone tried this with good results? If so I'd like a detailed description of your exposure process.

I am using a MacBook pro because I like the glass surface and it's what I have. I prepare a full screen slide show of a black image my negative grayscale image and another black image and put it to sleep on the first slide. Then I tape a test strip or sheet in place wake the machine and use the arrow keys to time the exposure without lingering at the end. I then remove the paper. I can slow down my timing by doubling up a #1 filter. However the result looks pretty blurry. I attribute this to the glass thickness but haven't had the oportunity to try a monitor with a plastic film like my samsung dvi monitor (the MacBook has a proprietary display port and my pc broke months ago).

What is ISO Speed

2009-12-05T17:43:09Z

Can anyone in very simple turns (Please don't point me to wik :D) explain to me what ISO speed is responsible for and ideally the impact it can make on a picture?

good book for beginners ?

2009-12-01T22:10:07Z

Hi,

I am just starting with photography,could you please suggest any book that'll help me get out of the auto mode,the manual with my canon powershot sx10 is soporific.here is my photostrem at flickr all suggestions are welcome.

Cheers, Prateek

Why do some cameras take much better night photos?

2009-11-17T13:07:10Z

I used to have a little compact Pentax digital camera that took really great photos at night. I remember taking off from an airport and going by this thunderhead at night and got a great photo of it being illuminated by some lightning. My Nikon D60 doesn't come close. Even with ISO at Hi-5 and fstop all the way open at 3.5 I would say it takes at least a 10 second exposure to come close to what the Pentax did in a second. Unfortunately I can't compare side by side because I got the D60 after the Pentax was stolen from my house.

I remember seeing a documentary about how much better CCD's were at absorbing light than film. So I was not surprised at how well the Pentax did. But I was disapointed with the D60. Are digital SLRs programmed in some "cripiling" way to emulate film cameras? In other words, they emulate the behavior of a film camera such that a 10 second exposure with my D60 is similar to what you'd get on a film camera?

This kind of also relates to the fact that both film and digital pictures are grainy on long exposures. This seems really odd to me and again it makes me think the digital camera is designed to emulate this anomaly that you see in film.

Recommendations for the best way to insure your equipment

2009-11-29T02:14:37Z

I am re-entering the photography world and looking to start up a small portrait studio business within the next year or two. At this point, I have purchased only about $2500 worth of gear, including my Nikon D60, etc...but my "wish list" (hoping to accumulate next year) will add an additional $2000+. I'd like some feedback on how others insure their equipment. Since my specialty will be portrait photography (studio, outdoors, family, kids & senior) and not extremely hazardous work like sports, concerts, etc... would it just be best to get a rider on my homeowner's? If so, will that cover things like dropped/broken lenses or will it just cover me if something gets stolen? Greatly appreciate the help!

When will Lightroom support Canon 7D RAW

2009-11-07T02:38:26Z

Lightroom 2.6 (even 3.0 BETA) doesn't really support Canon 7D RAW files (noise is bad and colors too). Anyone knows any official dates for full support of Canon 7D RAW files?

Thanks,

How to photograph fireworks?

2009-11-03T18:12:23Z

With bonfire night approaching in the UK, I was thinking of taking some photographs at a local public firework display. I'd like to take some of the fireworks, especially with some of the watching crowd in the foreground.

What is the best way to take these type of photographs so that I capture the detail of the crowd (which will be dimly lit) and the fireworks at the same time?

Photographing Meteors

2009-11-17T10:57:06Z

I was trying to photograph Leonids meteor shower tonight. I have a Nikon D60 with a 18-55mm 1:3.5-5.6G lense. I had the fstop at 3.5, zoomed all the way out, and was doing 15 second exposures. At least three times I had a meteor in my frame but they did not show up. One time I had ISO at 800 and another time it was Hi-1. Does it have to be a really bright meteor for it to show up? Is there a lense that will help me capture more light?

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