Friday, June 24, 2011

Relational Exposure Techniques

While it may seem confusing at first, the aperture and shutter speed controls on your camera operate in a synchronized and organized way when their relationship is understood. These controls allow you to preconceive the image you would like to create and then execute it, whether you’re shooting a digital, or a film camera. Each major F-stop and Shutter Speed allows exactly either one half or twice the amount light to enter your lens as the one next to it.


Shutter Speeds
Consider these shutter speeds which determine how long the shutter of the camera is open.

500 ~ 250 ~ 125 ~ 60 ~ 30 ~ 15 ~ 8 ~ 4

Keep in mind that 500 is actually 1/500 of a sec, so 1/250 is double the exposure time and same with the rest of these speeds. Moving from left to right, each of these shutter speeds is exactly double the exposure time of the previous one.


F-Stops
The F-stops control the diameter or size of the lens opening.

F2.8 ~ f4 ~ f5.6 ~ f8 ~ f11 ~ f16 ~ f22 ~ f32

Some confusion may arise since the f-stops while not numerically symmetrical; they also allow exactly either one half or twice the light to enter through your lens as the one next to it. Moving for left to right on the above scale each F-stop allows one half the amount of light to enter the camera as the previous one.

Since each of these controls represents either one half or double of the one next to it, they can be used in different combinations to produce the same amount of light or exposure entering the camera. Consider these exposure combinations stated as a thirtieth at f2.8 (first one).

30 @ f2.8 ~ 15 @ f4 ~ 8 @ f5.6 ~ 4 @ f8 ~ 2 @ f11

While the aperture opening and shutter speed vary considerably, all of these combinations result in the same exposure level. The correct exposure amount will be determined by the metering system in your camera.

The creative aspect mentioned earlier comes in play by understanding how the various F-Stops and Shutter Speeds affect your image. The F-Stops control depth of field as explained in our recent blog post about apertures. The Shutter Speeds will affect your image by either freezing or blurring the image. A fast Shutter Speed such as 1/500 will freeze a race car or a galloping horse, while a slower speed such as 1/15 will create a sense of motion as the subject is moving faster than the shutter takes to complete its cycle. Practicing with your camera and tracking your results will allow you to begin building an understanding of how your Shutter Speed and F-Stop settings will affect the outcome of your image.

Friday, June 17, 2011

It's Good To Be Shallow

Well, when it comes to photography, it can be.

Among the many aspects of taking a photo, your f-stop or aperture can be one of the most confusing.  In the simplest terms, the aperture controls how much light enters the camera.  The larger your aperture, the more light enters the camera.  The smaller it is, the less light it gets.  Simple enough, right?  Sure.  As long as you don't get deeper into it.  But we are.

The aperture size is represented by a number, or f-stop.  You'll hear numbers like f/2.8, f/3.5, f/11 and so forth.  But here's where things get confusing; the smaller the f-number, the larger your aperture will be, and the larger the f-number, the smaller the aperture will be.
This is an example of three aperture sizes.  At f/2 your aperture is wide open, allowing for a ton of light to enter the camera.  At f/22 the aperture is closed down and you have much less light coming into the camera.  What this means to you is that if your aperture is larger, since more light is coming in you can use a faster shutter speed.  If your aperture is smaller, then you're going to need to use a slower shutter speed to compensate for the lack of light.

Your aperture size will also determine your image's depth of field.  Simply put, "depth of field" refers to how wide (deep) or narrow (shallow) your focus is.  An image with a wide depth of field will have a clearer focus on objects further away from your subject, and a narrow depth of field will have less focus on anything further from your subject.  Take a look at the image bellow.  If you roll your mouse cursor over the different apertures below, you'll see exactly what all that means.
At f/1.4, your aperture is wide, wide open.  That means more light, and less depth of field.  So the trees and buildings behind the subject become very blurry.  At f/22, the aperture is smaller which equates to less light but far more depth - everything behind the subject is much clearer.  Knowing how aperture sizes affect your depth of field can really change the impact of your image.

As stated, at f/22 there is a lot more focus in the overall image which can create a background that is very busy, or visually confusing.  Your focus isn't necessarily drawn immediately to the subject - which you may or may not want depending on the feel you're looking to capture in your image.  With a shallower depth of field, the viewer's eyes are pulled right to your subject, but having your focus extremely narrow means parts of your subject could get blurred out as well.  Again, it all depends on what look you want for your final image.  Generally speaking, when taking portraits or product shots, having a shallow depth of field is recommended.

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Summer Photography Classes

Here at Lighthaus, we're always trying to help our customers do more with their cameras. We often get inquiries for instructional courses, and it's something we've been trying to develop (no pun intended). We'd like to put together a few things for the summer, so we're looking to you for input on what you'd like to learn if we were to host some classes.

So tell us - if we had some photography class offerings over the next few months, what aspects would you like us to include? How many of you are looking for a simple beginner's course, and how many are interested in more advanced work? Are you looking for pointers on composure, lighting, action work? Go ahead and leave your comments below, or on our Facebook or Twitter page. You can even email or call us! We'll be tracking all input with the goal of putting together some great learning opportunities.

Remember, unless we hear from you, we won't know what to serve up!

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Oahu Canon Tech Rep Visit

We've got a real treat coming up! Over the next three Saturdays - June 18 & 25 and July 2 - our Oahu King Street store will be graciously visited by two of Canon's Technical Representatives for a basic Camera Clean & Check session! If you'd like to have a Canon Tech Rep ensure your camera is working at its optimal capacity, then stop by and they'll be able to do a few simple checks for you!

This will be held at the Oahu store only, and on a "first come, first served" basis.

Also, please be aware that the tech reps will not be doing sensor cleanings. For additional info, please feel free to contact the Lighthaus Camera King Street store!


Canon Camera Clean & Check
Where:
Lighthaus Camera
2885 S. King Street, Suite 202, Honolulu
When:
Saturday, June 18, 25 and July 2
From 10 am till 2 pm
Contact:
(808) 955-5155 or lighthausoahu@yahoo.com

Current Specials - 06.14.2011

Monday, June 13, 2011

New Canon Lens Announcement

Canon has today announced a replacement for their EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS autofocus lens. Below is the official press release and spec sheet from Canon UK.

United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, 13th June 2011 – Canon today announces the launch of its latest high-quality telephoto zoom lens. The new EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS II is a compact and affordable lens, offering powerful telephoto performance combined with high image quality, making it ideal for photographers wanting to get closer to the action.

The versatile new lens enables photographers to shoot a variety of subjects due to its variable focal range. It’s ideal for shooting anything from portraits to longer-distance subjects, such as wildlife, sports, or even features within a landscape – ensuring the moment is always captured in impressive detail.

The EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS II will be available separately and also as part of a double lens kit, bundled alongside the recently-announced EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II with EOS 550D, EOS 600D and EOS 60D bodies, providing beginners with a fantastic start to their photography system, all in one box.

Designed and manufactured to exacting standards, the EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS II reflects Canon’s premium design philosophy, with an enhanced exterior design and a number of premium technologies to ensure leading image quality. Canon’s four-stop Image Stabilizer (IS) counters image blur during low light and handheld shooting, and the inclusion of an Ultra-low Dispersion (UD) lens element and Canon’s Super Spectra Coatings also ensure beautifully crisp, high contrast and glare-free images. The latest EF-S lens to be added to Canon’s range is ideal for photographers seeking an affordable and versatile lens for general-purpose telephoto photography.

Availability
The EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS II will be available from July 2011, priced at £329.99/€369.99 RRP incl. VAT.

Because we don't sell crystal balls...

We here at Lighthaus Camera are excited about our newest offering - the Extended Service Contract!

 For select items, you can add an additional year or two of coverage to protect against costly repairs for equipment defects.  Most items already come with a great one year warranty, but after that first year is up, you're on your own!  With the Lighthaus Camera Extended Service Contract, you won't have to worry about picking up the tab to repair any defects your camera may develop for an additional one to two years!

 For more details on our new service, stop by, call or check out our website!
The Lighthaus Camera Extended Service Contract - Because you never know what the future may bring!

Single Most Asked Question

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Strap In

For the active photographer, we now offer the BlackRapid RS-4 camera strap! This clever little tool makes it easy to have your camera out of the way, yet quickly accessible so you don't miss capturing that spontaneous, "only-going-to-happen-once" moment!


This sling strap, worn bandolier-style over the chest, can attach to either the camera body or your lens' tripod ring and also has storage for additional memory cards.

The RS-4 is available in all four of our locations, so come on in and try one out!

Nikon... Moving Forward

This news maybe a little old, yet relevant.  Nikon has announced the new 50mm f/1.8 G lens.
The key component of this revision being the G ring.  The G ring takes place of the older design that was the manual aperture ring found at the back of the lens.  This manual aperture was some what of a hinderence to the many (and the number grow every day) entry level Nikon shooters.   The G ring gives an Error message when not locked down, and is well known to not focus on certain cameras.  One thing is the newer G ring lenses will not interface with the older film cameras.  In this day in age focusing on the digital cameras broadens the customer base.  We are waiting for allocations of this new lens.  The Japan Crisis has slowed the delivery a little, but hope prevails.

Saturday, June 11, 2011

Current Specials

Hey all you photo enthusiasts!

Right now we have a couple of awesome items on sale!  The versatile Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM autofocus lens, and the Fuji Finepix XP10 underwater camera!  Stop by one of our locations today to check them out!

The Beacon

bea·con     noun \'bē-kən\
Definition of BEACON
*a lighthouse or other signal for guidance
*a source of light or inspiration

Welcome to our new blog!

Here at Lighthaus Camera, we like to pride ourselves on being a source of inspiration and guidance when it comes to photography.  Our knowledgeable staff is here to help you choose the right gear, get familiar with your equipment purchases, provide support or just chat about the latest in photographic tools and toys.
We have many big plans in store for this blog - from product reviews to class announcements, equipment resources and tips, sales announcements and much more!

Stay tuned!