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Take better Nighttime Shots

Get to know your camera lenses betterDigital Camera Magazine 1 focal length, aperture, stabilization, and more!

CONTENTS

features

Camera Lenses Explained...... 2

Child portraits: studio at home...... 5

How to Photograph Flowers In The Wild...... 8

How to photograph the Northern Lights...... 11

The hardest photography quiz ever...... 12

Digital Camera Magazine 1 Camera Lenses Explained

A lens focuses light onto the sensor of a digital camera and is critical to photography.

lens focuses light onto the sensor of a digital camera and is critical to photography. To help you make an informed choice when buying or mounting an optic, we explain some of the most important features of Alenses. Focal length is the distance in millimetres from the imaging surfwace (film or sensor) and the optical centre of the lens when it is focused at infinity. As lenses are made up of multiple elements arranged in groups it isn’t always immediately apparent where the optical centre is, but, with a few exceptions, longer focal length optics are usually longer than shorter ones. With full-frame cameras – those that have a sensor that is the same size as a 35mm film frame – lenses longer than 50mm are considered telephoto optics because they have an angle of view that is smaller than our eyes. This means that a distant object will appear larger in the frame than we see it and we often refer to telephoto lenses as getting you ‘close’ to the subject. Lenses with a focal length shorter than 50mm are generally regarded as wide-angle optics because they have a wider angle of view than our eyes. As you’ve probably already deduced, 50mm lenses have an angle of view that is roughly the same as our eyes. But what is angle of view? Imagine drawing two lines from a lens’s optical centre to the outer opposite edges of the scene visible through the lens, the angle between these lines is the angle of view. Angle of view can be measured vertically, horizontally or diagonally (this gives an increasing measurement in landscape orienta- tion). Canon’s 50mm f/1.8 lens, for example, has an angle of view of 27, 40 and 46 degrees (vertical, horizontal and diagonal). Meanwhile the angle of view of the Canon 100mm f/2 is 14, 20 and 24 degrees. These figures can usually be found in a lens’ specification list to indicate how much of a scene is visible through it.

2 Digital Camera Magazine Prime lenses are lenses that have a fixed focal length, whereas Camera Lenses Explained zoom lenses allow you to change between focal lengths without changing lens. Zoom lenses are extremely convenient and their quality has improved enormously over the years, but they still have to make some compromises in order to enable the focal length shift. This means that a series of comparable prime lenses will usually produce better quality images than a zoom lens. Broadly speaking, the wider the zoom range, the greater the degree of compromise that has to be made. As mentioned earlier, a prime lens’s focal length is fixed. However, if you take a 50mm lens as focal length magnification and Thirds cameras have a mag- and put it on an APS-C format cam- cameras with smaller than full- nification factor of 2, so a 50mm era you will see less of a scene frame sensors are said to have a lens produces images that look like than you will if you put the same focal length magnification factor or those shot using a 100mm lens on optic on a full-frame camera. The crop factor. Canon APS-C format a full-frame camera. A lens aperture smaller sensor size of the APS-C SLRs like the EOS 7D Mark II or is the hole that is used to control format camera fills a smaller part of EOS 700D etc, have a focal length how much light enters the camera. the lens’ imaging circle and effec- magnification factor of 1.6. This This hole is created by a series of tively produces a cropped version means that a 50mm lens will cap- blades inside the lens that make of the full-frame image. As a result ture an image that looks the same up an iris that can move to open or it makes the lens appear to have a as one captured by an 80mm (50 close and change the size of the longer focal length than it actually x 1.6) on a full-frame camera.Micro aperture. Aperture value is calcu- has. This effect is often described Four lated using the following formulae: Aperture value = Focal length (f)/ Aperture diameter in mm Even though the aperture diameter of two different lenses maybe different, if the aperture value (or f/number) is the same, they will let the same amount of light through. Lenses are marked with their maximum aperture setting. Short focal length prime lenses typically have maximum apertures of f/1.4, f/1.8 or f/2 while telephoto lens are more likely to have maximum aperture settings of f/2.8, f/4 or even f/5.6. High-end, expensive zoom lenses are able to maintain the same maximum aperture setting throughout their focal length range. Less expensive zoom lenses, however, have a variable maximum aperture settings. The kit lenses sold with many DSLRs and compact system cameras often

Digital Camera Magazine 3 have a maximum aperture of f/3.5- 5.6. This means that at the widest setting the aperture can be opened up as far as f/3.5, while at the lon- gest telephoto point the maximum aperture is f/5.6. If you set the lens to f/3.5 at the widest point and zoom in, the aperture changes to f/5.6 by the time you reach the lon- gest point. Long lenses with a maximum aperture of f/2.8 or greater and shorter lenses with apertures of f/2 or f/1.8 are often referred to as ‘fast’ lenses. This is because they allow more light through than their slower counterparts with smaller maximum apertures, and this enables faster shutter speeds to be used. Fast telephoto lenses are there- fore very popular with professional sports photographers because the long focal length allows tight framing of the distant subject while the wide maximum aperture enables movement-freezing shutter speeds to be used. Some lenses have an element inside them that can move to compensate for those accidental movements that are made when we hand-hold a camera. In some cases this stabilisation system has several settings; there maybe one that restricts the correction to vertical movements, for example, which is useful when panning to follow a moving subject. Some image stabilisation sys- tems can also be set to only acti- vate when the shutter release is fully depressed to take a shot. This means that the view through the viewfinder isn’t stabilised as it would be normally, but the range of correction available at the time of capture is greater, potentially making it more effective. Some longer lenses have focus limiting switches which are designed to cut down on the time that a lens takes to focus on a subject when it is within a particular distance range from the camera. This also cuts down on any distractions for the AF system, 4 Digital Camera Magazine making it more accurate. In some cases it is even possible to custom- ise the focus range for a lens. This is especially helpful when there are likely to be objects between you and the subject as the camera will ignore them and only focus within the range specified. Oreces endus et, odipsame istio. Nequi conse rem. At magni officti orrovid quid evelest eceptat eos perferu mquam, aut idelitaqui aperiatur acerumque sumquis sum aut doluptat quam es dolorit magni- tium quis explia vellandione perum ipsam etur? Qui commossi alit pel iumquas aut vid millumque officil intium et mo vel id eaqui offic to imolum qui comnim iusam, acest omni aut utaquia vendignat. Ur? Harciam, ute ea volut mo ex etur? Quia nimpos venisci aero- vit quo in pore ipsamusam andici te est optaquae. Perunti accus.Ximus in nis ipsanis es nam si aut as duci officiae moloribus sus.Uptas dolore vendaepre, qui rectatiusdae exceper sperfera doluptati consern amusdae comnis eicat quae es nonet asitati dolore velent. Rerum adicidel essi quatem hario dis aute nem qui dita vid mag- nis eseroviduci quidenis sunt asse- quas a dollut quo vella voluptam fugit exceptatem dolorio moditatur magnimi, omnist ommolum fugia nossunt est volor mil illes sum rem- porum hariore quo deliquati volupta tatur, sed minum cone voluptasit ut adi de omnis aliquat etur rempori amenda idi consectem cus undit eum alias et aliquam everrovid maximus cillaci lliquo tem. Excest estis essitatum nonet aut aut evelest arum ipsam alibus rem utVid quis voloruptatem ium soluptas modis simil event dolut adio te rem ullabore cusa conet optur mi, quunt ut eumeni ommo ex eum qui in nos ad quia dit que elest faciamene omnima volor autas experch illique

Digital Camera Magazine 5 0ompared the to other aspects of nature photography, shooting wild plants and flow- cers is a stroll in the park. After all, they can’t run off and you don’t need to lug back-breaking lumps of glass around with you to get a decent shot. What’s more, the diversity and abundance of plants means that you won’t have to venture far to find a subject, and now is the ideal time to give it a go. How to photograph flowers with the right backdrop There are a number of lenses that are suitable for flower photography, depending on the style of image you hope to capture. Most general purpose zooms that cover focal lengths of around 24mm to 135mm will give you plenty of options. The wider end of this range will allow you to include the plant or flower as part of its surroundings, helping to put it into context. The use of a wide-angle also increases depth of field, so the subject and backdrop can be recorded in sharp focus.A short to mid telephoto is useful if you want to isolate an individual flower by throwing the background out of focus. It’s also possible to reduce the minimum focusing distance of a telephoto by fitting extension tubes. These inex- pensive glass-less tubes fit between the camera and lens and are an effective alternative to a macro How to Photograph lens. For serious close-up work though, use a 1:1 macro so you can hone in on the fine details. Choose Flowers In The Wild an appropriate lens. A wide-angle is ideal for showing a flower in its habitat, while a close-focusing tele- Taking pictures of flowers in a controlled photo will isolate it. For super close- environment such as still life photography, ups and abstracts use a dedicated macro lens. Set the camera up on or even in the confines of your garden is a tripod and position it roughly level with the flower to create a pleasing one thing. But learning how to photograph photo composition. Check the back- flowers in the wild presents a whole ground and look around the frame for any distractions, tidying the sur- number of new challenges. roundings as required. A clamp will hold tall stems steady and prevent

6 Digital Camera Magazine subject movement. Use a low ISO for best quality images with minimal noise. Set a small aperture for maximum depth of field or a large aperture to make the subject stand out from the background. Use manual focus for maximum precision. Live View can be useful for accurate focusing. Most flowers look great to the human eye when viewed in bright sunshine, but this is often not the best light for pictures. Direct sun- light can cause problems with con- trast, burning out highlights and creating unflattering shadows. Soft, diffused light is much better and will the flower’s overall shape. Try to uibusan tiaeptam sunt. Sum rem produce a more attractive result shoot level with the subject rather dictatu reprovi tatio. It, ipsam conse- with bright, well-saturated colours. than looking down on it, and place it quiae niscit exeruntum estiam que An alternative approach is to use off to one side of the frame. This will as dia quid mincium inum, assuntiis backlighting to reveal fine details on lead to a more intimate and sym- de mos veni omnihitisim aspediost, the stem and flower and add impact pathetic composition. Be creative ut untiis dendaepudi te vel ini officius to colourful petals. and think beyond a straightforward volore quiam rem et laut aut acera Backlighting is particularly record shot and more in terms of consect aectiae vel mi, sant ilitis a effective when the subject is pho- the shape, color and form. Don’t just delenem nonsequ isquos sectures tographed against a black back- concentrate on the flower itself the excea ipsant volorrum, od quo ber- ground for added drama. In terms leaves, stem and other parts of the endi gnisquodit, aut aboratetur, qui di of framing, flowers lend themselves plant can be just as interest. saped quasime rem siXimaio magni- well to a variety of compositions Officipsusa cum res velenti hillit quidelique vita commodiat occa- in both horizontal and vertical for- blam fugit quaepuditios mi, odip- bor sendebis experum quis dolorro mats, and this is often dictated by iciis dolupis nullabo repratus asitatq im eos entiae rat.

Digital Camera Magazine 7 How to Photograph The Northern Lights With this week’s solar storm causing increased aurora borealis activity we turned to David Clapp one of the foremost experts in aurora photography to tell us how to photograph the Northern Lights.

fter all the fun and games of last week’s aurora borealis activity and then an astronomical finale of a partial solar eclipse of the sun, perhaps you have been thinking about the idea of pointing your camera Atowards the heavens. Although exciting locations like Iceland and Norway deliver aurora on a regular basis, it is actually possible to see aurora in the UK. This week has shown many photographers that their cameras are very capable, but it does take an immense amount of solar energy for this to happen. Nonetheless if you have got the bug, then here’s some great advice on how to photograph the Northern Lights. Aurora is essentially energy from the sun exciting light particles, particles that react with oxygen and nitrogen when entering out atmosphere. Just like that wonderful junior school experiment with iron fillings and a strong magnet, the earth creates magnetic bands that waves of energy ride along. Although the energy heads towards the daytime side of earth from the sun, it’s the energy returning back to earth on the night time side that creates waves and bands of electrically charged particles, similar to static electricity. There is a huge auroral oval that spans each of the earth’s poles, a ring of activity that is most prominent in places like Russia, Norway, Iceland and Canada. The higher the activity levels, the larger the oval will span and this is why it can be visible in the UK when activity levels are high. Its all about the night sky so opting for too much land is going to cause a lot of out of 8 Digital Camera Magazine focus foregrounds. Unless you are prepared to focus stack images, (making composites of different focal points, like in the example then the ratio is 1/3 to 2/3rd land to sky, respectively. Taking Your First Image Take a test shot and examine the results for sharpness and exposure. The image should be pin sharp in the centre at least, if not you are slightly out of focus. If your optics are high quality then they should be sharp towards the edges too. Now examine the exposure. You will need to achieve critical focusing. Make sure extend the shutter speed if the light you position the star in the centre of levels are low, but as the intensity the frame, not at the edge, as this is builds then shorten the sutter speed not going to be the sharpest area. to avoid burning out the aurora. Optam fuga. Nam quamenderum Shutter speeds can become ilignimperum derit fuga. Nam, aspi- as fast as one second when the eni blaut molo tem et doluptat offici- activity levels are high and this atem as asped ut volorem adistrum will ensure the aurora has a lot of harum invel es inimus dollest offic structure, but most shutter speeds tota nonseque nam, volupturisci will be between 10 and 30secs. invenissunt, occuptam dolore quas Remember moonlight can be a autemposam qui doluptatur sime friend in these conditions, but avoid moluptat. compose your images. full moon unless you specifically Dae venis et estiis ipsum quunt, Let’s assume you know noth- want a daytime look. It does little to optat vent aut maiorae venisqui ing about this genre of photograph help matters when every shot has a doloriaepero od mincit qui cullabor- and start at the beginning. Firstly bright blue afternoon sky.Carefully ror autatur, il idem fugitatque natio you have to be in a dark sky area study moonrise and moonset times, et ipsus dolorum sitatem oluptatur? to fully appreciate and photograph to ensure the maximum darkness. Gent fugitibus et fuga. Neque vol- this phenomena, it almost goes Finally wear a red head torch to orerit alia voluptat ape natquod without saying. You will need to set stop your eyes from burning out quid et vitia si opti que doles maio the lenses focusing to infinity, to when setting up or changing lenses. doluptium volupti umquia pa verio. ensure the stars are sharp, so use Your eyes will not adjust to red, Nequidi iligentur as nesciissint a light source like a planet or a star in the same way to other colours, adipsap erisquis simolesti autas which makes it so much easier to if your LCD and eyesight is good, to

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