Digital Cameras Menu settings & Controls Instructor: David King

Digital Cameras: Menus and Controls Digital Camera Types –Just as there are multiple type of Film Cameras there are various types of digital cameras and digital capture devices. Point and Shoot Cameras SLR-’Types’ DSLRs and Ragefinders Digital Imaging ‘Backs’ Digital Scanning ‘Backs’ Instructor: David King

Digital Cameras: Menus and Controls “Point and Shoot” Cameras –Usually are ‘auto- everything’ but may allow focusing. –Small and Light, easy to carry –Generally are “range- finder” types –or may view strictly on the display monitor. –Often have Zoom Lenses –Have smaller sized imaging chips Instructor: David King

Digital Cameras: Menus and Controls “SLR-Type” Cameras –Frequently have all the controls of an SLR except for inter- changeable lenses. –Sometimes called EVF or ZLR cameras. –Imaging chips are larger than P&S but smaller than DSLR. –Are capable of very good images. Instructor: David King

Digital Cameras: Menus and Controls “DSLR” Cameras –Digital Single Lens Reflex. –Use interchangeable lenses –Can be used in auto mode, programs, or fully manual. –Imaging chips are 35mm sized or APS sized –Capable of pro quality images. –6-17 megapixels currently Instructor: David King

Digital Cameras: Menus and Controls “Digital Rangefinder” Cameras –Rangefinder Viewing –Use interchangeable lenses –Can be used in auto mode, programs, or fully manual. –Imaging chips are currently APS sized –Capable of pro quality images. –8-10 megapixels currently Instructor: David King

Digital Cameras: Menus and Controls Digital Imaging Backs –Used with medium & Large Format cameras –Attach to back of camera and replace the film back. –Chips are larger than 35mm (36mm x 36mm up to 48mm x 48mm) –16 to 39 Megapixels Instructor: David King

Digital Cameras: Menus and Controls Digital Scanning Backs –Used with large format view cameras –They replace the ground glass back or are slipped in like a film holder –They are basically three-color scanners –They create huge files and are the equivalent of am 80 to 150 megapixel chip –They cannot be used for anything that is in motion Instructor: David King

Digital Cameras: Menus and Controls Specialty Digital Cameras –For example… –The Seitz Digital Panoramic Camera –Has 160 Megapixels Instructor: David King

Digital Cameras: Menus and Controls Digital Camera Menus Introduction –In addition to the exposure and focus controls found on film cameras, digital cameras offer menu settings that allow you to customize the way they acquire and handle an image file. –The actual layout of the menus and the labeling and sequencing of the functions vary from camera to camera. But there are a few that are very important to set correctly to maximize image quality. Instructor: David King

Digital Cameras: Menus and Controls Digital Camera Menus Introduction –Some menu items are unique to a camera or model. But there are major menu items that are common to all DSLRs and some SLR-Type or upper end Point and Shoot models. –Generally there are three menus (or three main sections of one menu) Set-Up Shooting (or ‘Capture’) Play Back (or ‘Display’) Instructor: David King

Digital Cameras: Menus and Controls Set Up Menus –The important items to note are… Date Format (to Format the Memory Card) –Using camera or computer Folders Sensor Cleaning Instructor: David King

Digital Cameras: Menus and Controls Shooting Menus –The number and type of selections and labeling of the shooting menu will vary a little from one brand and model to the next. –We will look at the important ones for getting started capturing good quality image files. –You will need to follow along with your manual to “translate” to fit your particular camera. Instructor: David King

Digital Cameras: Menus and Controls Shooting Menus: Settings –ISO Exactly like the ISO for film, this adjusts the sensitivity of the sensor to light It uses the same scale as film. Higher numbers mean more sensitivity (which requires less light for exposure. Generally set your camera to the lowest number and adjust when light availability requires it. Instructor: David King

Digital Cameras: Menus and Controls Shooting Menus: Settings –Resolution/Quality/Size Most DSLRs allow you to save in at least two file formats and several resolutions. –JPEG »Basic (Most compression, smallest file) »Normal (Medium compression) »Fine (Least compression, larger file) –TIFF (Uncompressed, largest file) –RAW (Mostly unprocessed file) Instructor: David King

Digital Cameras: Menus and Controls Shooting Menus: Settings –Resolution/Quality/Size Most DSLRs allow you to save in at least two file formats and several resolutions. –Full Size (Full pixel dimension) –1 or 2 smaller sizes Some offer more than one Resolution or Compression ratio –High or Low Quality (Resolution) –Icons are sometimes used Instructor: David King

Digital Cameras: Menus and Controls Shooting Menus: Settings –Contrast –Contrast setting controls how the chip will record the range of tones in the scene. Instructor: David King

Digital Cameras: Menus and Controls Shooting Menus: Settings –Contrast –Contrast setting controls how the chip will record the range of tones in the scene. –You will need to experiment with your own camera to find the best setting. However… –Start out with a setting of -1 to create a file with the most data to edit Instructor: David King

Digital Cameras: Menus and Controls Shooting Menus: Settings –Saturation –Saturation setting controls how the chip will record the colors in the scene. Instructor: David King

Digital Cameras: Menus and Controls Shooting Menus: Settings –Saturation –You will need to experiment with your own camera to find the best setting. However… –Start out with a setting of 0 (Zero) and then you can adjust to taste. Instructor: David King

Digital Cameras: Menus and Controls Shooting Menus: Settings –Sharpening –Sharpening controls how the chip will record the edges and lines in the scene. Instructor: David King

Digital Cameras: Menus and Controls Shooting Menus: Settings –Sharpening –For most cameras start out with a setting of 0 (Zero) or No Sharpening –For Canon cameras start out with a setting of +1 Instructor: David King

Digital Cameras: Menus and Controls Shooting Menus: Settings –White Balance –White Balancing sets the “Color Temp- erature” for the sensor. –We’ll have a class on color… but for now the bottom line is… Instructor: David King

Digital Cameras: Menus and Controls Shooting Menus: Settings –White Balance –To be ‘color balanced’ means the color temperature of the light source and of the medium (film or chip) are the same. –Digital Cameras have several pre-defined white balanced settings: Auto Daylight Tungsten Shade Flash Flourescent Instructor: David King

Digital Cameras: Menus and Controls Shooting Menus: Settings –Metering –Most DSLRs allow for various metering types including Overall / Averaging Matrix Center Weighted Spot –Remember: The meter thinks it is looking at Middle Gray!!!! Instructor: David King

Digital Cameras: Menus and Controls Shooting Menus: Settings –Other Menu Settings –Other Menu Settings May include… Flash Setting Noise Reduction AE/AF Lock Self Timer Bracketing Exposure Compensation Custom Parameters / User Settings Instructor: David King

Digital Cameras: Menus and Controls Shooting Menus: Settings –Other Menu Settings –Non DSLRs might also have… Zoom Speed Focus Assist Instructor: David King

Digital Cameras: Menus and Controls QUESTIONS? Instructor: David King